The Crucible
by DeathtoDiscord
Summary: The time is coming. Day by day. Hour by Hour. Minute by Minute. The moment I have been waiting for, since the time I came from the darkness and first held your hand in mine. Everything I ever promised you- you shall have all that and more. Fret no longer, agonizing in the dark of what I will do. Trust that no matter what, it will all be for you. Dark Nar x Hin x Kyuubi
1. What I tell you in the Dark

_[What I tell you in the Dark]_

 _"I, with a deeper instinct, choose a man who compels my strength, who makes enormous demands on me, who does not doubt my courage or my toughness, who does not believe me naive or innocent, who has the courage to treat me like a woman."_

 _-Anais Nin_

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 _Truthfully, I've always wanted you._

 _If I am being honest with myself- honest with my need- you have always been my dearest, my most beloved- you and only you- held high, far above all others. If I am being honest with myself- truly- deeply- fondly- you are adored, desired, treasured- my precious darling, my dearest secret._

 _Truthfully I have always- always- watched you with the same earnest, straight forward desire- the same secret, hidden longing- that you have watched me. How easily my eyes find your own- skulking in the shadows, always just out of focus, out of reach- how earnestly you loved me then, and always have. Ah- how the red blossoms across the white, how sweetly the heat finds the delicate slopes of your cheeks. Your gaze grows, hazy, unfocused- you don't understand it- the sweet, agonizing pain that makes your heart quake and your flesh tremble- but I do._

 _I know it for what it is dear one, for what it must be- your heart, your soul, your flesh- how earnestly it seeks my own- to be bound, to be united, to be connected in the one true way that it could be. But you do not, must not understand it- it almost pains me more to think of it- how those pale lavender orbs would darken at the expectation of my promises, of the truth of my words, my desires._

 _I am ashamed- I love you- truly, deeply, I love you- but more than these, far more than these- I hunger. I desire. I want. I need. I have told myself countless times before- many dark nights spent in heat filled agony- 'she would not understand.' 'she is too young' 'she is not ready' 'Patience-'_

 _One day beloved you will understand- the beast that gives me strength, also renders me powerless- that which loves so passionately, so sweetly- hungers with such absurd violence that it frightens me. I don't want you to know of it, would never- and yet- how much longer can I fight the tide, the futile flow of fate?_

 _It seems as if it has been forever- and yet not long enough- it seems I have fought against this a thousand times before- and how many more times would I, if it meant that again- I could hold your sweet flesh against my own. I have waited- oh how I have waited- and at last dear one, at last- I will catch you as I always have, as I always will, as I always must._

 _You do not know of it- how close I am- and yet how far- even now I am near you- I wonder if you would think me cruel, for the things that I- deep in my heart- wish to do to you- and yet- how much different would you feel if I told you these were things you desired before you know how to crave- hungered for before you understood hunger- needed before you understood need. All that I do- I do for you, as I have always done and as I always will. In this pain you will find release. In your shame you will find redemption. In the depths of this passion, this traitorous lust, this filthy need- you will finally be set free. Think of it dear one- all that I have promised you- all that I will give you- is it not worth the price? I will let you judge for yourself. Wait for me just a little while longer, that is all that I ask, all that I could hope for. Wait for me, and I will come._

 _Yours forever, yours always-_

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 _Beloved._

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His hands find their way to the worn wood of the tabletop, with a violence that startles her. She gasps aloud and the ancient tome clatters from between her fingertips onto the floor with a loud thump that seems to draw every eye within the quiet study. She blushes deeply, darkly to the roots of her hair- fumbling for words that seem to halt with precocious uncertainty on her lips.

She hurries to grab the novel from where it has clattered onto the floor- but he is already there, hair the gold of kings, bowed before her as he picks the book up with a calloused hand. She sits there in pained, agonizing embarrassment- as his deft blue eyes quickly scan the cover. 'Oh no-' she thinks weakly, with barely blossoming horror, already feeling her blood chill in her veins. He views with sardonic amusement the look of torment etched into the delicate lines of her face- but his smile only deepens as he surveys the novel, brashly and without shame.

"The Demon's Lover?" He states loudly, in that boisterous, mirthful voice that could make even the most somber of faces smile. "Eh? Didn't think you were into reading that kind of stuff Hina-chan! You must have been hanging around Sakura too long." He added as he raised his head, blinding her with the startling visage of his clear blue eyes.

Naruto Uzumaki- the mischievous devil himself- was right here before her in the flesh- and holding the shameful novel out to her as if he had not just embarrassed her to the world. She could barely find words to string together into a coherent sentence, her face burning so bright and red that she wonders if he can feel the heat of it. Just being this close to the man- with that devilish grin, that twinkling light of mirth in those two blue eyes- this close she could feel the strength of him, an exuberance so overwhelming that it threatened to rob her of breath. Always- there is a wild, reckless air around him- but an odd comforting warmth- as if he he is a walking summer breeze. Even now she still struggles- feeling as if despite ruining the quiet of the study with his loud words he could hear the rapid pounding of her heart, rattling loudly in her ears.

"A-A-Ah t-this i-is- I-I-I w-was j-just- I d-didn't- m-mean t-t-to" She floundered out pathetically, and he could only smile, rising to his full height, the offensive novel still in his hands. She seemed to shrink into her seat at the imposing sight of him towering over her, but his smile only deepened as he sat himself comfortably on the tabletop, his mischievous grin growing bolder still. He palmed the novel, humming beneath his breath as he flipped through the worn pages. She felt her throat begin to tighten, her heart pounding so violently in her chest that she can feel the blood pulsating in her veins. It seems to her as if a thousand eyes are watching this moment unfold between them, as once again Naruto Uzumaki set about playing his favorite game.

"Eh? What's that? You're going to have to say that a little louder for me Hina-chan! You said you _didn't_ mean to?!" He stated, his warm smile already too easy, dangerous in its familiarity. His voice seems to grow, to fill the room as he tosses back his golden head and laughs. "Really? You mean you didn't want to read about this-" He ceases his thumbing and finally stops on a page- she feels her heart sink- she feels nauseous- but nothing could prepare her for his words as he began to read from a page.

 _"_ _-And then my lips find yours- dearest- how sweetly they part for me-"_ He recites dutifully- the smile on his face is one of pleasure of mirth- but only she is close enough to see the dark in those blue eyes as they find hers, as they pin her where she sits. Her throat tightens- her heart- _"Beloved-"_ He murmurs, as he draws his face nearer to her own- closer- _closer_ \- she feels as if she is going to faint- everyone is watching- but he continues, relishing in the bright eyed look of panic, of horror, blossoming in her pale orbs, of the heat rapidly making itself known on her pale skin.

 _"_ _-It has begun. And despite how much you implore me- despite how you may plead with those wide, upturned eyes- despite how you may beg with those sweet, delicate lips- it is far too late. This is what you have wanted, what you have desired in that sin sick heart of yours. And I- I am your answer. I will give you what you crave, what you need-"_ -he caresses every syllable of the words as his eyes remained rooted on her own, every sinfully delicious syllable- and no longer are those blue eyes the same filled with the same youthful exuberance- they are darkening like cloudy skies at noon. They are- _'"-raw, unfounded, incomprehensible, passionate, sinful- and far beyond your ability to bare- I alone know how you have hungered, and I alone will sate you at last-" -_ darker- she can't breathe, she can't think- nothing matters in this moment, nothing but his words, his voice deepening, darkening, becoming _more._

It is as it has always been between them- the very air becoming some charged, wonderous, forbidden thing- and despite how easy he smiles as he reads the words- she feels something within her tightening, winding to the point of pain. She bites her lip with such violence it pains her- and yet she cannot look away from his eyes. Those bright, sweet blue eyes- and despite how much he reads in jest- she struggles to comprehend the triumphant, wicked edge to them as he watches her squirm. She feels as if she is going to faint again- the red in her face almost painful, agonizing to watch- but as always no one comes to save her from this sweet torment, this agonizing torture. Her head begins to ring, as her vision wavers in and out of focus- she's forgotten to breathe again- she feels as if she is about to cry- when suddenly he snaps the book shut, fanning himself with it in mock relief and releasing her.

"Woah Hina-chan! How scandulous! Oooooh and to think the Hyuuga heiress spends her time between classes reading such- literature!" He adds with a sharp laugh, much to her continued mortification. "But don't worry-" His voice is light, teasing again as he places it back in her lap. He stands, hand coyly skimming along the top of her chair, ghosting along the lines of her shoulder blades. She sucks in a shuddering, gasping breath- she can feel the heat of him- the careless, callous strength of him- as he lowers his head. Words meant for her and her alone. _"I'll never tell~"_

 _"_ _Naruto Uzumaki."_ The words cut across the quiet air of the study, with a cold, calculated precision. He laughs again, unhanding her chair. Against herself she sucks in a much needed breath, finally allowing her eyes to find the man standing before them. He is impossible to miss- the tall, proud lines of his form standing imposingly before them as if he owned everything he laid eyes on. The long length of his hair is pushed back behind his shoulders, but a few defiant strands find their days into his icy pale eyes.

"N-N-Neji…." She manages to gasp our wordlessly, pathetically- but his eyes are on the blue eyes staring laughingly back into his own. "What's up senpai?" Naruto states with an easy grin, tossing his hand up nonchalantly in greeting. "What brings you here?"

"Not that it's any of your business." He stated coldly in reply, "But I have come to retrieve my cousin- who would be far better off without a mongrel's company." The venom in his voice was potent, filled to the brim with killing intent- but Naruto only laughed, waving away the harshly thrown accusation with a shake of his head.

"Geez no need to be rude! And for the record senpai, Hinata is perfectly capable of going where she pleases." He added none too gently-and she finds she can only sit- helpless and captive between the two of them, uncertain and unsure. "N-Neji-sama-" But he speaks over her, the words sailing overhead.

"Hinata is not your concern Uzumaki." His voice is growing tight, dangerous- she knows well the cold fury that his words are beginning to promise. Hurriedly she stands, gathering her things quickly into her satchel. The last thing she wants…is more unnecessary tension on her behalf. She…is not worth it, has never been worth it. She fights the urge to vomit, the words of everything said and unsaid still on her lips. She can feel his eyes, watching her carefully, with the same fiery concern- but tempered- as if through a smile.

"I-I'm c-c-coming…" She added quietly, drawing close to his side. Behind her she can feel Naruto's gaze again, the same comforting- and yet unsettling warmth of his smile. "I'll see you later Hina-chan!" He adds easily enough- although his voice is heavy with promise. Neji's scowl only deepens further and he turns, motioning for her to follow with a sharp jerk of her head. Saying nothing quietly- she hurries to follow in his shadow. And as much as she wants to turn around, to look- she dares not anger Neji any further. And yet she can feel his gaze following her, long after she has exited the study.

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He hums quietly beneath his breath as he sits where she has sat, taking in a warm, comforting breath. He once more thumbs through the worn pages of the old novel, still laying exactly where he has placed it. His eyes skim the pages quickly, lazily- he scoffs under his breath at the outdated prose, the dusty pages. _'So she was actually reading this old thing? Well it's no wonder….I did put it where she could find it after all.'_ He thought deeply, darkly to himself. _'And so it begins again, as it always has, as it always will.'_ But this time was different- she was more timid- shy- sweeter- like a delicate bud, just waiting to be coaxed into bloom- slowly but surely- but he was not as patient- and there was no more time. This time- he couldn't wait, wouldn't wait- this time- he would truly conquer her, truly devour her whole.

 _'Wait for me_ -' he promised to her, from the deep, dark depths of his being, to all of the promise etched into the sweet lines of her body, the trembling shyness of her eyes- ' _I am coming.'_

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She had never been able to understand, to articulate clearly the powerful, undated longing she felt when his eyes found hers. From the time she was young- he had been there- mischievous, blue eyed devil, firmly grasping her hand and pulling her with reckless abandon into the unknown. Bold, fearless, rash- he strode foreword with his back straight and his eyes forward, violently towards whatever fate had in store for him. He…had always been like that. He had always been wild, forward- and yet for her and her alone- would he wait for her to catch up with his reckless pace. How firmly he would grasp her hand- all the better to drag her forward with him. He had never left her, never abandoned her- even when she grow weary, even when she wanted to stop- he had been there, coaxing her through the darkness. Now, more than ever- when the days were long, when life became unbearable- she would bask in the warmth of his smile, the promise that had always been there in his eyes. She would warm herself at the thought of his laugher, wild and free in a way she never could be-

He had always been there- close enough to touch- close enough to love- and yet always, always- out of reach. Because his eyes would go places she could not follow. Because sometimes they would go to some deep dark part of himself that frightened her- and as long as she had known him- as long as she had loved him- slowly but surely she was beginning to realize- there was much she still did not know, would never understand.

Naruto Uzumaki- the wild haired boy with the too wide grin and the too easy smile- the boy who seemed to laugh at everything and nothing- the boy who still stubbornly looked forward, and never looked back- slowly, surely- he had been changing, and changed. When, where, how she didn't know- only that never before had his clear blue eyes been so murky, so clouded as they had been- never before had his words made her tremble in some secret part of herself. She knew only that she did not understand it, could not understand it- even now when every moment he sought her, seemed dedicated to breaking her down to her pathetic, traitorous core.

When she had come of age- her family duties demanded that she sever public ties with her childhood friend. No longer could they play together, long into the dark- no more could they hide away in the dark underbelly of the forest- no more could they share secrets beneath the stars. She had cried when she told him that they could no longer be friends. But he- he had only smiled that same easy grin, that same strong, comforting smile.

 _'Don't worry.'_ He had said then, the still too short boy of ten, as he held her hand in his. _'I'll wait. And someday, somehow.'_ She mouthed the words in the dark of her room, if only to herself. _'I will set you free.'_

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 _AN: And here we are again, another case of me writing the type of vic I want to read. I was in the mood for NarxHin smut, but something far beyond the usual- more than anything I find it hard to find fics where not only Naruto pursues Hinata, but does so as a man, confident and assured versus the wild boy we know and love. I wanted to explore a more mature Naruto with darker desires- and one that does not mind guiding Hinata on a journey of exploration of self. And if I'm being honest, wanted to try my hand at this wave of 'dominant alpha male' type of fi_ _cs that are so in fashion these days. But I do like toying around with the Naruto universe, so hopefully someone enjoys this. That said I'm sure this will seem ridiculously OOC at times...my apologies, I'm trying my best! Never fear I will soon return to updating my other fics, but I wanted to follow the thought wherever it led. Please let me know what you think._


	2. It Will Find Its Way To You

_What I Tell You In The Dark_

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 _Will find its way to you_

 _The words I speak_

 _You hearken to_

 _To Sweetly touch_

 _The deep down dark_

 _Inside of you_

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The Academy which she attended had always been known and recognized as an old distinguished school of study- dedicated to providing both formal education and training for the heirs of the most esteemed of lineages. It preserved with rigid discipline that which had been passed down through centuries of family history, the well kept secrets of ancient lineages.

The Academy called to mind once more the long forgotten lore of a time long past. _Here_ \- in these halls where past, present and future intersected- the newest generation learned of the horrors that had plagued those that had come before- so that they would not repeat past errors. So that they would not make the same mistakes. She hears her Lord Father's words again, as she always has- that same tight, curt tone of bitter contempt. _'So that we will not fall prey to the same weaknesses, so that we will not succumb to that far reaching darkness that lingers at the edge of the world between our realm and- them.'_ Here, in these sobering halls, was the very truth of her existence, her purpose, her reason for being laid bare- all that she lamented- and all that she had neither the heart nor will to deny. The art of demon hunting.

 _"_ _-It was a long forgotten art, pulled up from the dark undercurrents of human history- but one borne of necessity."_ He recited dutifully, his voice ringing out clearly within the marble walls of the open classroom. _"As demons emerged from the shadows to once again plague humanity, they were forced to resurrect the forgotten arts in order to combat them and stop their onslaught."_ Across the room he yawns loudly, rupturing the somber silence. The instructor eyes him with a quirk of his brow- but makes no mention to check the youth for the same habit he had of kicking his feet up onto the smooth surface of the mahogany desk before him. Moments before he had made no attempts to hide his loud mouthed snoring, much to the chagrin of everyone seated around him as he had blinked himself awake with bleary eyes. But as always- they ignored him- and let him do as he pleased.

She alone it seemed, watched him carefully- but she always hurried to refocus her attention to the task at hand, back to the notes she has been painstakingly taking before his eyes could find hers. She could not afford…to let her attention wander to him anymore than it already had. Instructional time was reserved for this and this alone- and she hurries to add to the delicate scrawl of her notepad as her classmate continued to recite that which she has always been trained to know, to never forget.

 _"_ _It is becoming increasingly common for these dark, vengeful spirits to clothe themselves in the flesh of men- assimilating into human society. Their goals- their desires- are far removed from our own. Demons do not have ambition or imagination- they are incapable of having either hopes or dreams- demons only hate, only hunger, and only desire. And their realm, on a plane far removed from our own- is one of chaos, of madness, of agony and torment. "_

The instructor nods quietly, motioning for him to pause in his reading with the motion of his hand. "Very Good. And if you will, would you also re-read the previous paragraph from the section you drafted on how demons draw sustenance? It seems some of your fellow classmates were somewhat…preoccupied." He added with a pointed stare at the only one within not actively engaged with the lesson. The boy only nodded, his eyes smoothly returning to his report.

" _They appease themselves by sating their hunger on mortal vices. The nature of the demon's sin marks the extent to which they will probe the darkest undercurrent of the psyche in order to keep themselves sustained. We know that there are demons of lust, demons of wrath, of desire, of despair- but beyond those much is still unknown. They take as they see fit- they bless or curse as it pleases them. In exchange for that which is precious- they grant wishes, taint desires- in the hopes that in this way they may come to understand human nature, often far removed from their own."_

He finished, seating himself with a dark toss of his head. Beside her, an emerald eyed beauty sighed deeply, murmuring low, secret words of admiration under her breath. "Well done Sasuke." The instructor remarks, his eyes the picture of boredom as he checks off a mark in the tome before him. "Another…great report. That said-" He raises his head, eyeing the large, iron and somber clock overhead, ticking away the final few precious moments of instructional time. "-Looks like we're out of time," He remarked somberly as the bell finally rung, marking the time for them to be released. As his group of students rose to their feet, he made a few half hearted attempts at reminding them of their next assignment, but their attention had already waned.

Against herself- her eyes follow the bright gold of his hair as he rose, half heartedly scratching the back of the mane he had tousled in slumber. The instructor approached him- but she cannot discern the words that leave his lips- the bright haired boy only quirks his face sardonically in reply, his blue eyes twinkling. They stare past the instructor, who she sure is giving him a scolding- coolly sliding away to rest on her own as if he has felt the weight of her gaze. _As if_ \- he has always known of it, always known when to catch the forlorn desires transmitting themselves through her pale eyes. And boldly, brashly- he sticks out his tongue childishly.

She turns her head abruptly, feeling her face flame. She does not want to see it- struggles as always to find the courage to meet the question that is always present in his gaze- because she never has an answer.

"Sasuke-!" Her partner yelled across the resulting clamor, but the dark haired youth had already coolly navigated the throng of maidens throwing themselves across his path to exit the classroom. _"Dammit."_ She cursed under her breath, and despite herself she hurried to smother the small smile of mirth threatening to make itself known, doing the best she could to ignore the swift pounding of her own heart. But she dares not- _cannot-_ look again. She finds a welcome and easy distraction in the girl, and hurries to placate the dubious frown beginning to mar her companion's delicate features.

"I-It's quite alright Sakura…maybe next t-time?" She added hopefully, wondering if she is imagining the weight of his gaze again, warm and fleeting. She shivers at the thought of it. But as always- she pushes the traitorous tenor of her thoughts away into the depths of her being. The young girl scoffed, tossing her short pink strands back off of her smooth forehead with barely restrained frustration.

"Ugh! It's no use…I don't know what I was expecting honestly…he's an Uchiha…his clan are infamous hunters…what could he possibly want from some scrawny no name from the Haruno clan…" She griped, slouching forward in her desk with an overly dramatic motion, as at her side another girl quickly made herself known. The long blond lengths of her hair were pulled back into a long, luxurious ponytail, a forelock draped over her ice blue eyes. There is already a smug, arrogant smile etched onto the lines of her face.

"Well what a pleasant surprise! I had been thinking that it's about time you realized it yourself! A man of Sasuk'e caliber would be far better suited for a beauty like myself…not to mention the Yamanaka clan is one of far greater repute after all." She added with a haughty bite of laughter, coaxing Sakura into a battle they had fought countless times before.

"As if he would settle for such an uncultured harlot!" She tossed the words back hotly, causing the girl's eyes to narrow in response, becoming sharp as drawn blades. "You've got some nerve to even let those words leave your lips when the size of your forehead hardly matches the size of your intellect!" She stated vehemently in reply, causing Sakura to stand in one fluid, violent motion, her chair clattering to the floor. She can fell the air between them growing tight, tense- and before she can placate them, another girl rushed to their side, quickly pushing the girls apart with strong brown hands.

"Come on now none of that- save that for another time would you? Ino! Sakura!" She barked at them sharply, culling their wrath with a harsh note of command. "What would your families think if they knew you both were behaving in such a manner! Asuna-sensei can only give the two of you punishment so many times!" The dark haired girl added with a long suffering sigh, as the two girls turned their noses up in the air at one another. Although their tempers had been banked with the threat of punishment, they both knew it wouldn't be long before their passions were stirred yet again.

"You're right Ten-Ten…it's beneath my lineage to argue with this cow. I would much rather go inform Sasuke-kun of how much I loved his report. " Ino stated venomously, stalking off to the accompanying roar of Sakura hounding after her. "Oh no you don't you _bitch-!_ "

They continued to catcall and curse one another down the gilded aisle to the exit, leaving the two girls standing there looking after them with fond exasperation. As always- she is left half reeling, half stunned in their wake. Despite the weight of their lineage, the burden of generations of expectations- they had always done as they pleased. The two young heiresses were like wild stallions, beautiful and free. _While she_ -...she does not want to think of it again, to traverse once more the same dark corridor of her thoughts that she had walked countless times before.

Ten-Ten draws her attention, sighing loudly in pure frustration- "Honestly…something about that Uchica boy drives women half mad… at this point I'm fairly inclined to believe the boy's a demon himself and he is hexing them all." She added wearily, much to her friend's amusement.

"Y-You shouldn't speak of him like that…the Uchiha's are a w-well respected family." She murmured as she accompanied the girl down the stairway to the door, although the dark haired girl merely shrugged in reply. Against herself- her eyes scans the remainder of the throng of students carefully- but nowhere among them is the gold of kings. He comes and goes as he always has- like a wild gust of wind. _While she-_ "That is true…but honestly if they both weren't such numb skulls they would realize that according to their own definition...you are far more suited for him than they."

She thought quickly, suddenly of dark blue eyes- but she shook the thought away with a frightening grimace. "D-Don't s-say such t-things…" She murmured, her eyes roving carefully throughout he crowded hall. The very thought of it- unsettled her. _W_ _hy?_ The word seemed to hang heavily in her shadow, the same beast of burden. She can imagine the ghost of his smile. _'That's the wrong question.'_ His eyes would say to her, warm and callous in their assessment of her. But always, _always,_ on the edge of them was the truth. That was-

"-But it's true isn't it?" She continued despite the concerning look in her eyes. "Your family is as prestigious and well known as his own. Granted...Sakura and Ino are both talented- but what you may lack in raw talent you make up for in dedication and blood. You are more careful, more precise, more cautious, more understanding- and that I can respect more than the arrogant boasting of a few silly girls. And- if the wild rumor proves true- your unusually affinity for discerning realms more than gives you your weight in gold." She continued, unperturbed by the grimace marring her companion's pale, delicate features. "And after all- between you and I- you are a far greater beauty." She finished with daring smile, much to her continued embarrassment.

"Y-Y-You shouldn't j-jest-" She stammered our lamely, wholly unused to such unfiltered praise, and finding that she does not know how to answer the assured confidence in her eyes. "You are more suited for a man of his caliber. More so than others-" She added thoughtfully. "-like that Uzumaki boy." She continued, those dark eyes carefully trained on her own, coolly assessing her. Against herself- against the harsh training that has been imposed on her, to never show such weakness openly- her face flames. "H-How d-did you-"

"-How could I not, when he made such a scene in the study? All of the upperclassmen have been gossiping about it. The boy has nerve- to try and embarrass _you_ of all people, when he has no family or lineage of his own! He only attends on the merit of sponsorship, and he's lucky he was even granted that much!" She grounds out with dangerous, barely bridled fury, her eyes biting with scorn. Against herself again- she fights the words lingering there- trembling on the edge of her lips. The truth. _The truth is-_

"-And yet he continues to parade around at his own leisure, thinking he can do whatever he pleases! He barely attends, does what he wants when he desires to do so, bides his time away laughing and behaving like an imbecile- I cannot understand why anyone would act as he does, especially when he has been granted such mercy! All of the foul rumors that abound around him, and he continues to act like a buffon- he deserves all of the torment Neji can give him." She added hotly in anger.

-but there is that smile again. That wild, unfounded smile. That same callous illusion of strength. The boisterous bark of his laughter. And the question always lingering there between them, the reminder of the answer she cannot find and will not give. She closes her lips- and says nothing. She throws herself willfully into sobering silence as they approach their lockers, opening her own in preparation to exchange texts for her next class. TenTen's face is still tight with fury- but there is nothing more to say.

She can only hang her head, anxiously lowering her eyes to the notepad clutched in her hands, the lines of the page filled with the notes she had so carefully taken during the last lecture. She skims them for a moment, with disjointed focus- _[It is not uncommon for demons to grant bargains with mortals-][-in old times, many of the noble lineages that spearheaded the art of demon hunting were first introduced to the malicious intents of demons when their own bargains with them went awry-] [-history tells us of families who have long been plagued by such spiteful rumors. In exchange for power, prestige- many nobles promised much to demons. Often a demon's motives are unclear, unfounded- at times they would offer wealth and power for the most minuscule of things but in exchange- always, always- that which they desire- is that which is most precious-] [-it is customary for such demons, when denied that which they have been promised- to devour mortals on the eve of their births, at what is known as the 'ripening'-][-the realm in which demons inhabit is one of pure, unfiltered chaos, of agony, of torment, anarchy-][-demons have no ambition or imagination, they can neither hope nor dream, they can only desire-][-they may hide in the flesh of men, but their shadows betray them-]_ -She closes it soundlessly, motioning to place the large tome within.

It is then when she first sees it. It is an envelope- pitch black, embalmed and sealed with an odd red insignia. Startled she withdraws- her eyes curiously surveying the crowded hall- but all of the rapt, upturned faces are oblivious to her anxious gaze. Sensing her tense, Ten Ten withdraws from her own locker, eyeing her curiously. "What's wrong?" She only shakes her head weakly in reply, slowly withdrawing her hand, and the odd black envelope therein. Ten-Ten merely cocks an eyebrow curiously in reply, before revealing that there is a similar letter in her own upturned palm. "You too huh? And here I thought your cold hearted bastard of a cousin had finally decided to confess his love to me." She added with a lowly murmured scoff, half truth and half jest, the motion breaking the tense mood that had suddenly sprung between them. She eyes Ten Ten sharply for a moment at her words- but she presses her lips together tightly, and wills away the thought. She can only note with sadness the look of pained agony glimmering in the depths of her gaze, the tremble of her lips. Again- there is nothing to say.

She turns away from that thought to the letter before her- if the girl had received one herself then…perhaps it was no cause for concern? And yet- somehow- she is unsettled- "Well come on then,"- the girl began, already breaking the red seal of her own. "Let's see what this is about."

She nodded quietly in reply, before peeling apart the seal of her own letter, surprised at the equally pitch black card she finds within. As the envelope it is without words- blank. Ten Ten frowned, her brow crinkled with confusion- she was sure her look mirrored her own. Confused, they eye one another curiously at this, as Ten Ten immediately began to speculate aloud. "Odd…if this is some kind of prank it's pretty pointless…how on earth are we supposed to read it then?"

It is only a moment later that the thought strikes her- the card itself is made of odd stock- it feels- rough almost, like sand paper...and immediately she acts, quickly making the hand signs that would allow her to break a clause of nature. Gently, easily- she murmurs the words beneath her breath that allow her to do what cannot be done. The letter catches alight in her hands, burning bright with a small burst of flame, and before they could grow too consuming she grabs the letter by its corner, deftly flicking out the flames. But it has been enough- now they can finally view the words scorched into the surface of the letter. Ten-Ten murmurs words of awe filled appreciation beneath her breath as she leans forward, and as one they scan the newly revealed words with rapt attention.

 _[[You are cordially invited to a series of nightly balls, to be held for a week's time._ _The balls will continue, one for each evening- until the final masquerade._ _From dawn till eve of week's end- I bid you come. Come in your finest attire. To be permitted entry, conceal your pride. Virtue shall wear a veil, and vice shall wear a mask. I look forward to our meeting. Lord Kurama]]_

They continue to survey the words for an extended moment, eyebrows raised curiously. _"_ Lord Kurama…?" Ten-Ten began after a moment's pause, her brow crinkled with confusion. "Now that I think of it I do recall the name...if memory serves... is he not the new young lord that has recently purchased the old Izanami estate?...how odd...perhaps this is his way of getting himself acclimated to high society? A rather odd greeting to be sure but- he must know that the reckless young heiresses who attend the Academy are always looking for ways to appeal to their prospective husbands." She finished with a half hearted scoff, rolling her eyes. But she- is still surveying the letter, mulling again with renewed vigor the name before her. Her mind it seemed, was far, far away. The name…rang familiar, rang true….weighted it seemed in the depths of her being in a way she could not shake nor understand. And yet…she shakes away the odd disjointed thought, returning to the moment at hand.

' _I have…never heard of that name before…and yet...somehow...'_ "I...am not familiar with him." She answered truthfully, although against herself she finds that something within her seems to rattle, to tremble.

"Well he must be a Lord of some rank I would imagine, if he's going around inviting people of note. But to host a party every evening? Sounds rather absurd wouldn't you say...?…Although I'm sure he will have many takers, especially considering how tense everyone has been lately." She mused aloud, her attention waning now that it had been sated, as she haphazardly shoved the note back into her locker. "What with all of the rumors." "...Rumors?" She added curiously, her eyes still scanning the dark letter in her hands. There was a address- obscure in its direction- but nothing else save for the delicate sloping lines of the man's signature.

"I've heard my father and other elders speaking of it or I would have dismissed it as more filthy gossip. But even my father tends to believe- the rumors that a Arch demon may be passing through." She continued, only pausing to note the odd quick of her companion's eyebrow at this. Immediately she understood her confusion, motioning for her to come closer.

"Ah- I am in the more advanced class since I am a year above you-"- she opened her notebook, flipping to a page- "I'm sure it's nothing but a few superstitious old men speaking but- supposedly it has been quite some time since a demon was sensed in Konoha -here-" she stated finally, turning to the page and holding it closer for her inspection. Carefully her pale eyes skimmed the disjointed, shaky lines of her handwriting-, so different from the delicate, pained writing of her own

 _[-Archdemons- some say their lives are infinite- some say they have lived millennium, lived a thousand lives -according to legend they are powerful creatures known in ages past for their tailed shadows -they are a rare subtype of demon that exist- most of the information surrounding their existence is speculation -throughout the course of history, they are not mentioned often, only in fearful passing - legends says that unlike more common demons they can fully submerge themselves into mortal society-legend says they are atypical of other common behaviors unique to demons- their mannerisms, desires, are unknown-]-_ but Ten Ten closed her notebook abruptly before she could finish reading, startling her out of her thoughts.

"But enough about that...if memory serves…isn't there another important event occurring in a week…?" She mused aloud, her gaze coy. For a moment she stares at the girl with marked confusion before the the thought struck her as well. She could only sigh- deeply, almost regretfully- but again, she says nothing. Ten Ten scoffed at this, clearly disgruntled at her lack of response. "Now that's not something you don't see everyday…surely you haven't forgotten the day of your own birth?" She stated saucily, her hands defiantly perched on her hips.

"Ano…yes...that is my…birthday." _'The last'_ she thought secretly, in the heart of herself, with the same sinking, sick anticipation, the same weary longing as always. How far away it seemed- and yet again- how close it loomed. The biting jaws of fate- ready to devour her at last.

"You don't sound very thrilled eh? Odd- isn't a girl's eighteenth birthday supposed to be a cause for celebration? Especially in such a prestigious family like your own?" She added curiously, her dark eyes searching the confines of her pale, haggard face. She nods quietly- not trusting herself to find any words of worth from her traitorous tongue. Abruptly, she feels like crying again- but she thinks of the sound of his laughter as he had wiped away her tears with his hands. They had not…been so rough then, had not been so weathered and worn. Then- they had seemed so small- and yet- how much stronger they had felt than her own.

"But enough talk about your fancy birthday ball…The better question is…will you be attending these? Isn't it a striking thought? A party every eve? And considering this will be the last week before your big day- why not make the most of it?" She asked mischievously, her eyes twinkling- but she is already banishing the thought, shoving the letter back quickly into the confines of her satchel, where she could more easily dispose of it. "My Father will never…allow it." She finished quietly, with the same quiet resignation as always. The reminder of the man is more than enough- Ten Ten's eyes are sharp with protest- but she too finds that there is nothing to say. She knew the man- and the pride that had always guided his every action and breath. "Oh Hinata..." She began, but those are the only words she can find as her friend turns and bids her farewell, the long dark length of her mane rippling quietly behind her.

* * *

He finds her later as he always does, whistling a jaunty tune overhead. She is walking through the courtyard of the academy, beneath the shady bows of a large gnarled tree when he calls to her. _"Oy! Hina-chan!"_ He states loudly, boisterously- and she stares, startled from the dark of her thoughts, upwards into the heavy canopy to find him. His golden head and blue eyes are starling against the twilight sky and the dark boughs beneath him, casting his form into equal part dim light and dark shadow. "Are you going?" He asks easily, with his too wide smile that robs her of breath.

"W-W-What…?" She begins, but his smile is knowing as he turns away from her, rolling onto his back on the wide tree branch, hands behind his head and foot aimlessly kicking the wind. "Eh? All of the girls have been talking about all of those fancy schmancy parties that are happening, its got everyone all excited- blegh!" He added, making an over exaggerated sound of revulsion, childlike in its fervor. "Sounds pretty boring if you ask me!" He continued ranting, his foot still swinging aimlessly. "Buuuut…I might change my mind if you're going Hina-chan!" He added, turning back on his stomach to once more give her full attention, with a wry accompanying smile. She stammers, flounders- struggling to find words as she always did when those blue eyes were on hers.

 _"A-Ano…m-m-my f-father…"_ She begins hesitantly, and in reply his bright eyed grin immediately turned into a good natured scowl. He scoffed beneath his breath as soon as the words had scarcely finished leaving her lips.

"Figures. That wily old bastard. Of course he wouldn't let you go that decrepit old geezer…shitty old man!" He cursed, his voice still as disgruntled as a boys. But abruptly his tone shifted from one of good natured jesting to thoughtful consideration."Hmm...I guess there is a pretty big day coming up for you after all eh?" He turned again, surveying her once more with those laughing blue eyes- eyes that always seemed to know more than she has said and always seemed to search deeper, into the very pits of her being. "Can't have you running out and about every evening when he's still trying to marry you off to that stiff ass Neji right?"

Abruptly her head rings, as the entirety of the world seemed to spin out of focus with startling brilliance. She catches herself a moment before she staggers on her feet, the sweet darkness coaxing her to succumb. She- almost fainted where she stood. She feels as if the blood has drained from her body, pooling into her feet, as if it has all left her, along with breath, with thought, in one foul swoop. She can feel it, beginning to make itself known on her features before she can stop it- a look of absolute horror, of bleak despair. She feels as if in this moment, time has shuddered to a stop.

 _"W-W-What..."_ She stammers out with difficulty, quietly. If she could have seen her face, she would have wondered at the painful, agonizing expression etched into the lines of it. " _W-What d-did y-you j-just say?"_

"You should do the things you want to do." He continued, silencing her with one smooth, effortless toss of his head. "Haven't you learned that yet?" His grin was wide, wider than before. She is staring but all she can see is that same blond haired boy, his smile gentle in its agony- "If you keep this up-" _Again-_

"N-Naruto." She says clearly, for the first time in a long time, in a voice filled with something far beyond wonder, far beyond understanding. She remembers acutely, painfully, the warmth of the hand that had gripped hers as they had tumbled as children through the underbrush of the forest. And again- the careless, callous strength she has felt, bounding in his shadow. She didn't want to remember- _could not remember- always_ \- her memories came in disjointed bursts, in fragmented pieces. The warmth of his hand. The echo of his laughter. The pure sweetness of his lips when they had found hers. His promise- the one he had sealed with a kiss. She tries to forget, has always tried to forget it- but deeper, further, darker, the truth- _"Who are you?"_ It is one of the rare, fleeting times when she finds her voice, when she has addressed him directly, without either a stammer or stutter.

She can feel it. Abruptly the air has shifts again- becoming something strange, unsettling, dangerous. She can feel the hairs rising along the back of her neck, feel the goosebumps breaking out along her skin. She does not- cannot allow her eyes to leave his face- blue eyes are as they had always been- but for a moment, the briefest of moments- she imagines they burn with the same colors as the twilight sky behind him. She cannot breath, she cannot think- trapped again in this moment, in the dark of the truth that still lies between them- known- but always left unsaid.

-but abruptly he laughs the same as he always has, turning his bright blue eyes back to the twilight sky. "Why that's a silly question. I'm your friend. Always have been, always will be. No matter what." He added finally, dispelling the odd anxiety that had begun to take root in her mind, motioning for her to continue on her way with a jerk of his head. How easily he alone can do so- to rouse her, to frighten- and comfort all in a single breath. He says the words so easily, with such familiarity that she already has almost forgotten the odd moment that had just unfolded between them. She pushes it away again, into the depths of her being. Again- there are words trembling there on her lips- but she keeps them to herself. She does not speak. She takes a hesitant step backwards-

"And one more thing-" She turns. He tosses it down to her gently, and against herself she reaches out her hands, catches the worn book before it could hit the ground. And again- she blushes so deeply her face becomes an acute, painful shade of red. She opens her mouth- closes it- it is the wretched novel from before, returned once more to her shaky hands.

"You left it in the study. Figured I would return it to you…you were reading it so intently after all. You should finish what you started you know." He added noncommittally, his words starling in their implications. Aghast, she could barely voice any of her protests- his mood had shifted again, like a wild wind changing direction as he cast his eyes towards the sinking sun.

"Look at that! You better hurry up now before that old fart Neji comes along looking for you." He added placatingly, shooing her with a wave of his hand. "Later Hina-chan." He calls out, his warm voice comforting and familiar. And despite herself there is something that tells her to stay in the shadow of that gnarled tree long after the sun has finished setting. But she merely stumbles out a half hearted 'good bye' shoving the offensive novel deep into the confines of her satchel. She doesn't mean to run from him with such passion- and yet she does- she wants to keep running she thinks, until she flew.

* * *

He seals it with a kiss. Sinfully decadent- he press his lips to it fervently- as if they had been her own. He places it where he knows it will find its way, once more- to her hands. Again- the game begins again. _'Fight it as much as you like. Deny it as much as you wish. Inevitably-'_ but there was nothing that needed to be said. He smiled darkly to himself as he placed it within the worn confines of the novel. He had seen it in her eyes- had seen it rising to the surface. He had watched her after all- the way the heat had bloomed beneath her cheeks, the sly, furtive glances she always hastily cast. They way she had hesitated- her entire body trembling with barely contained shame. She had always been ridiculously easy to read. And how more so- when her eyes had been so tormented, so pained? But he understands it, even when she did not- realized it long before the thought had ever once crossed the expanse of her mind. But that was fine. That…suited him just fine. _'Ill drag it out of you- that which you try so hard to conceal, the truth you try so hard to deny- kicking and screaming- I'll drag it from the darkness into the light-'_

* * *

She lowers herself into the soothing liquid warmth of the bath, wincing as the heated water lapped gently at the fresh bruises already beginning to make themselves known against the delicate translucent skin of her body. Now more than ever- she sinks deeper into the warmth, allowing the heat to soothe away the aches and pains she has sustained from this afternoon's training. Today- her Lord Father's training had been…more difficult than usual. His blows had been filled with more force, more anger than they had in sessions past- and again there was Neji's cold, calculated fury filling the room, hinting with ferocious intent of that which had gone unsaid. But she understood the marked intent behind his blows as he had evaded her own, as he had sent her reeling once more to her knees.

 _'He knows.'_ She thought quietly, with muted resignation to herself, her fingertips delicately parting the scented water. _'He knows that I- was seen with Naruto-kun…'_ She thinks again of him, lingering with her in the study, a moment too long. He had always…been stubborn. He had always done as he pleased. No matter how much she had begged him to leave her, to abandon her- no matter how much she had cautioned him, had warned him- her family had ruined many before him, had broken many strong willed men just like him. But no matter how she had begged, had pleaded- no matter how much Neji had threatened him with force- again, without fail-

It was his smile across the crowded hallway. It was the echo of his laughter. It was the warmth of his presence, ghosting through her shadow. She…had tried to forget. She…had tried to forget him. It was more than they knew, could ever possibly imagine. The truth- And yet- no matter how she had prayed- no matter how she had wished- she could not- forget the warmth of his hand.

 _'And…he knows the truth now.'_ She thought to herself, quietly, bitterly. _'Perhaps…he has always known.'_ It was not quite so uncommon…for noble families to intermarry in order to keep their bloodlines pure. Maybe they all knew, had always known. She envied them- Sakura and Ino- for their straight forward affection, for the reckless abandon with which they threw themselves into their passions. And even Ten Ten- earnestly chased after Neji's shadow, even when she had always known perhaps, that hers was a love that would forever be unrequited. All of them had such free spirits- how openly they chased after the things they wanted, hungered for. And she-

' _If you keep this up-'_ She finished it for him, that which had gone unsaid. ' _-you'll never be free.'_ She felt the tears again- the hot heavy knot of pain lodged firmly in her chest. It never seemed to leave her now- not when the impending time was drawing closer, and her own fate becoming more and more clear. _'I know.'_ She thought quietly, hating the hot, heavy tears that found their way to her cheeks, hating the hands that seemed incapable of doing nothing save hold themselves tight around her form. She felt as if she were slipping away, vanishing, becoming a frail slip of nothing. She wanted- to disappear. But again she could hear her father's voice, deep, commanding,

 _'This is your duty. This is your birthright.'_ She cannot shake the words, rooted so deeply in her psyche they never seemed to leave her. She felt in this moment, deeply and truly- as if she were the only soul in the world.

* * *

 _Beloved-_

 _You've long since known what I have desired, what I have longed for in this wicked heart of mine- too many my desires are dark, deranged- far beyond understanding, beyond mortal comprehension. But that is what bids me act- and act I do. You won't understand it at first- why- why that which you try so hard to conceal, that which you push deeper and deeper into the core of your being- why I alone can coax it out of hiding, why I alone can call into being the truth you have buried deep in your soul. Beloved- I do this for you- delicately, gently I will take you- unripened bud- and I will coax you to bloom, to fruition. Perhaps you will find me cruel- perhaps you will find my touch- raw, unfounded, without rhyme or reason- beyond your ability to bare. But you will bare it, as you have bared all before- as you bare the weight of your misery, as you bare the weight of their expectations, as you hide the screams always howling away deep within yourself. You will want to bare it as you bare their torment- screaming in silence- but I will not allow it. Beloved- to be set free, to be unchained- you must let go. Perhaps you will find it frightful, being lost- perhaps you will find it terrifying, being bound- but in this-_

 _You will find all that you have been seeking, all that you have wanted, have hungered for. Again I tell you- in this pain you will find release. In your shame you will find redemption. In the depths of this frightful passion, in the midst of this heavy, aching lust- you will finally be set free._

 _And you-_

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 _-asked me who I was._

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 _Now there's a question that I've been waiting for! That's pretty funny you know? As if you didn't know me. As if you didn't know the answer to that already ha! But I know what you mean don't I? Don't we both know?_

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 _But I guess it's time you have your answer._

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 _What do you think Hina chan?_

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 _Isn't it time you found that out for yourself?_

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The number scrawled there almost childishly- she can feel the weight of his hands as he had written it. She bit her lip- quietly closing the novel as she carefully gathered the small note that had marked the page from which she had read.

* * *

 _AN: And here's the next chapter. Writing this has been helpful, I had gotten to a bit of a roadblock with Hanahime and needed to try my hand at something else. This is a bit of an odd world I've put our cast into, so I was trying my best to give a bit more context. Our dear friends Naruto and Hinata seem to have a bit of a secret between them- if I haven't bored you yet, hopefully you'll stick around to find out what it is. I recently watched the Great gatsby again, so pardon me I've been in the mood to write about a fancy ball. But I digress, will see you all next time!_


	3. The Words I Speak

_The Words I Speak_

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 _Oh Beloved- Are you listening? Can you hear the breath that leaves my lips as I murmur your name? How deeply, how sweetly the breath leaves your own as you whisper of that which remains between us. I know- how your heart pounds at my approach. I know- how your blood rises, how sweetly the heat finds the delicate slopes of your cheeks as I draw ever nearer to you. Are you...frightened dear one? Are you afraid- my dearest? Of all that which you know- and all of that you do not? You know what it is I desire, what is is I hunger for- but they will not understand this- they cannot- it is far beyond them as it has always been and as it always will be. They cannot- feel me as you do. They cannot probe the depths of this dark hearted being as you do. And they cannot- will not- be able to comfort you as I do._

 _Come- come to me and I will comfort you. Hearken to my voice and I will ease your shallow fears. Come- and I will relieve you of that old bitter beast of burden. The one that enslaves you, entraps you, binds you as surely as chains. Do not worry, do not fear- you must only listen, only heed the words I speak, the promise we have made. Hearken to my voice dear one, as you always have, as you always will. And I will take you, I will keep you, adored, dearest-_

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 _Beloved_

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She knows...this is wrong.

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She knows...this is foolish.

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For the promise, for the vow- solemnly made on that dark night so long ago...she knows that this is beyond her as it always has been, as it always will. She remembers acutely, _painfully_ the warmth of his hand, the sweet of the kiss he had given her. But more than that, deeper, darker- the way his eyes had burned the color of the twilight sky. And always, always- the question there. He...had asked her then. And still, he was still waiting. Waiting- for her answer.

 _'But I could not answer you then- and I cannot answer you now.'_ She thought quietly, if only to herself. Truthfully, in the depths of her fragile heart- she was still filled with regret. She was the one who had abandoned him- she was the one who had forsaken him. _'It was because of my weakness-'_ She bit her lip in the darkness, scanning the number childishly scrawled out before her. She knew- what this meant. But as always- she was a moment too late, always a step behind. Always fearful of the reminder- of what remained between them. She knew the folly of this action, of reaching out to him like this- of doing exactly what he wanted of her. _'This is foolish.'_ She knew that. _'You should not- must not- do this.'_ She was already dialing the number with shaking, trembling fingers. _'You know...what this means don't you? You can deny it all you like, but this...this is-'_ It feels like the jaws of fate, coming to devour her at last.

Her heart is pounding so savagely in her chest that she feels weak, faint as she waits breathlessly for the phone to ring. She wants to will her heart into silence, wants to quiet the harsh murmur of her breath. She fears that he will hear her- she knows that Neji has been increasingly vigilant of late, checking on her often throughout the night. Again the thought strikes her. This- this is all so foolish- _'And what if he catches you? What if he hears? What if-'_ but those fears are tame in comparison to- _'What...what is it that he wants from me? Why, after all of this time- I don't understand- he knows- that I cannot answer him- I will not- but still-'_ She could not forget the ghost of his smile- _'But you can't allow yourself to forget- how his eyes burned.'_ She could not forget the warmth of his hands _'But you are the only one who knows, the only one who has seen his shadow-'_ And she could not ignore the pounding of her heart-

 _She sees the face of her father, tight with fury, with disappointment as he had grabbed by her collar, dragged her screaming forward so that he could murmur the coldest words she had ever heard into her tear streaked face. ' **You worthless, insufferable fool! And yet you know nothing! You must not- you cannot- seek him!-'**_ It rings, startling her- she hung up.

 _'Stop it- Stop it-'_ She chided herself quietly, feeling the telltale signs of anxiety beginning to overtake her once more. She feels like she is drowning again, in the same disjointed memories as always. _Pathetic, weak hearted fool!_ In the end- no matter what- had she not wounded him deeply? Had she not cast him callously to the side? Had she not turned away from him- abandoned him- he who had loved her so deeply, cared for her so completely- when no one else would call her friend, when no one else would take her hand? He and he alone- had reached out to her. ' _And how...did you repay that kindness?'_ She had done as her Father had bid her. She had turned her back on both him and the dazzling world he had promised her. It would have been easy- to accept everything- to willingly, easily form the words he so desperately wanted from her- and yet... _'You cannot possible imagine...what that would have meant.'_

She could never forget- the warmth of his hand. The smile, gentle in its agony. And the dark, probing depths of eyes the color of a stormy sea as they had stared with intensity into her own. She had been young then- perhaps far too young to understand what she had seen in those bright blue eyes, what he had asked of her. Perhaps...she never would.

Even so...she felt sick with the weight of her own betrayal, even though he had never once blamed her, had never once hated her. _'But it was because of me...if it were not for me...if it were not for my weakness, if it were not for- No...I can't...I can't bare to think of it!'_ She sunk into the dark gloom of her silken sheets, the phone receiver clutched tight in her palm. She remembered it like it was yesterday- how they would whisper, murmur to one another late into the night beneath a canopy of stars. Neji had not been quite so overbearing then, her father not quite so callous in the time before. She had always been one who listened, one who watched. And he- had been one who spoke, one who _lived._ Complete opposites- shy creature and the dazzling boy who had grasped her hand. _'It's too late for us to ever go back to those days. It's always been too late. And still...these memories still haunt me. I...truly am...foolish. I know this...I know that I can never go back to that time...I know that I should not do this...But I...want to know-'_

-before she can regret it, before she can fight it- she is dialing his number.

With breathless anticipation, she waits. It rings. Once. Twice. Thrice. And then- a dull clutter of sound _[Has he dropped it?]_ A far off sound, half growl, half sleep filled yawn. And then- **_"Hello?"_** his voice is heavy, deep, dark with sleep. Against herself, she hangs up, shoves it underneath her pillow, puling her sheet overhead. Her heart pounds violently, aching in the confines of her chest in the darkness. But she knows it is coming, as if she has heard it in a dream. Her phone rings, starling her. She fights the nausea threatening to overwhelm her as it rings hollow in the dark. _Once._ She struggles to remember how to breathe. _Twice._ This is wrong, she should not, must not answer- she knows this, she understands this and yet- _Thrice-_ she gathered it to herself with shaky hands- answers- and then- frightened- says nothing.

 _"Ah! So it is you Hina-chan."_ He states quietly, his voice still- dark, heavy. But it is clearer now, more alert- filled with the same odd pointed interest, a focused intensity that she could _feel_ even though she could not see him. _"Bold enough to call, but too shy to speak? How like you eh?"_ He laughs. The sound is dark, from the pit. She shivers involuntarily, feeling her grip tighten. Her knuckles are ashen. There is much she wants to say- but then she feels as if all the words have left her.

 _"Hmm...and what is the Hyuuga heiress doing awake at this hour…? Thinking of me?"_ He hums quietly, joyously underneath his breath as if pleased. She fidgets nervously, feeling the heat warm her cheeks but as always- in that subtle, masterful way of his- he shifts her mind away from the truth. It is hard to find her focus, to find her voice- she tries to say something, _anything_ \- but the words lingering there seem just out of reach. He continues- _"Were you sleeping? Oh! I bet you were dreaming neh?"_ Curiously, brightly- _"And what does the princess dream of I wonder?"_ Said fondly- as if he didn't know. He knew...that her dreams were always filled with blue eyes and warm hands, but he jests regardless of the truth. _"Surely not some unclaimed mongrel-"_

 _"Y-Y-Y-You're not-!"_ She began in a single breath, the words leaping from her lips before she could ever hope to contain them at the reminder of the black rumors that had long plagued him. _"Ha! Got ya!"_ He laughs, his voice mocking in its cheerfulness. _"Still the same Hina-chan after alll! It always did bother you when Neji used to speak ill of me."_ He continued, as if through a smile. She feels her face flame- she presses her lips together tightly at a fleeting, passing memory. But before she can grasp it, he continues- _"You know I didn't mind it- but it always seemed to bother you neh? I wonder why-"_ Her heart sputters erratically- beating unsteadily- she places a hand over it, feeling how quickly it was racing beneath her palm. Against herself- she wants to cry again. Why did such things bother her? Why did they trouble her? She imagines TenTen's face, tight with anger. The ice cold fury in Neji's eyes. And her Father- She feels it now, on her lips. The truth. It is- _"I-I-I...t-that's...b-because-"_

 _"Be quiet."_ He states suddenly, the curt words silencing her with a firm reprimand. She is taken aback, stunned- even though the words had no bite. _"You don't need to say anything remember? I know."_ He said the words fondly, with the same finality she had always felt, had always known. _"N-N-Naruto…kun…"_ She stammers- for the first time in a long time, the words wrenching themselves from the root of her being so painfully she feels as if she has been cut to the heart, raw and unfounded. She hasn't said the words enough, never will- _"B-Because of m-me...you..."_ She feels the same old knot of agony, lodged in her of her- _"I-I-I….I am- sorr-"_ But it doesn't need to be said. He shushes her gently, quietly. _"I know."_ She feels the tears again, already beginning to course down her cheeks in a silent heavy stream. She muffles the cry that wants to leave her lips, the scream of torment, of madness that has always been lodged deep in her being.

 _"...Don't Hina-chan."_ He knows. She places her closed fists against her lip, curls her form tightly into a ball of misery, of barely restrained sorrow. This- _this is foolish_ \- she _should_ not- _could_ not- and yet- _"I-I-"_ She cannot find them, the traitorous words that she has always known. She cannot find them even though she knows they are there, and have always been there. But he knows. Carefully, gently- his voice is coaxing, comforting- _"Hina-chan….do you remember…the promise I made to you?"_ ' _Of course-I have never...never once forgotten it-'_ she had never been able to forget, would never be able to forget. " _Y-Yes…"_ she murmured out quietly, and he hummed again at her admittance, pleased. In the dark of her chamber, she feels the slow, steady throbbing of her heart again, anxious and pained. Reminding her with every passing moment- _'This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong. This-'_

 _"Ha! Then you know I'm a stubborn idiot right?"_ He added in jest, coaxing a smile to rise, unbidden, through the tormented anguish of her face. _"I never go back on my word."_ She knows this for truth. Always, _always,_ he- _"Did you believe me then?"_ He stated softly, but in her mind the words became- **_'_** _Do you believe me now?'_ Again- she cannot speak, she only knows this- _"Naruto-kun-"_ She swallows, fighting the bitter wave of sorrow threatening to sweep her away, the hollow empty remains of the wide eyed girl she had been. " _Y-You know...I-I d-don't…I-I c-can't- I-I…I-I'm not-"_

 _ **"The Book. You should finish it."**_ He states suddenly, powerfully, shocking her into silence. _**"Didn't I tell you to finish what you started? I intend to."** _ She feels _it_ again- the hairs rising on the back of her neck, the goosebumps breaking out along her skin. She hears it- the shift in his voice- how it begins to deepen, to darken- becoming- _**"And more than anything- you should go shouldn't you? Isn't that what girls live for? The chance to be for even a moment- more than themselves? The chance to experience that feeling- powerful, overwhelming- the chance to revel in their beauty, in their power? Oh dearest-"** 'His voice-!'_It betrays him- she feels her blood begin to run cold at the deepening, the darkening of it. For a moment, abruptly she thinks in a moment of ice cold fear- _'T-his is not 'Naruto'. T-This is-'_ — _"-Are you afraid?"_ \- it is him again, 'Naruto''s voice again, before she could fully realize the horror of her revelation, the reminder of what was still unsaid.

She remembers acutely again, the moment when under the dark of the coming night with the too short boy of ten- _'was it ten? Or was it not? I can't...remember- I don't...want to think of it-' -_ his lips had found hers. He had promised to set her free. _And in return-_ She shakes away the memory, pushes it back below, hides it somewhere deep. She reminds herself not to forget again, not to let the warmth of his smile, his hands, his eyes, deter her from the truth. But as always, always- she is too afraid to face it, too frightened to voice it and make it _real._ She hides the truth in the reminder of her Father, remembering the cold of his eyes. _"…you k-know t-that I…c-cannot. M-My Father- h-he w-won't a-allow it. So I...I c-can't-"_

 _"You will."_ He states again, with that same soft note of command. And in that moment she felt as if it were her choice no longer, as if it never had been. As soon as the words had left his lips she felt as if he..was right. And that- she...would. Somehow, someway- she would find herself right where he wanted her. But even so- more than anything- she knew the reach of her father, of Neji's cold gaze watching over her. It was- _impossible- there was no way- she could not_ \- But he always spoke to her as if she were free, as if she had reign to do whatever she pleased. As if not once had the thought ever occurred to him that she could not, that she was bound by duty, by birthright. He would laugh if she told him she was afraid of her father, of Neji- he would laugh at her pointless fears, her baseless worry. And that was because she knew what he was thinking- she knew what he wanted, what he expected of her.

 _"Haven't I told you? You should do the things you want to do."_ He stated firmly, with the same conviction as always. _"Oh Hina-chan...haven't you learned that yet?"_ How easily...he could say those words to her. And with such fondness, with such conviction. As if it were easy, as if always had been. _"N-Naruto-kun...I...I am n-not a-as s-strong as y-you. I...I h-have n-never b-been-"_

Abruptly- he laughs. _**"** Oh Hina-chan!" _He laughs again, mischievously, fondly- _ **"** Ah! See!? That's why no one else will do... **That's why it has to be you."**_ He stated suddenly, ferociously, his voice darkening with such a sudden passion that it robbed her of breath. She felt the heat flood her face, felt an electric tingle racing down her spine with a heat that she had never been able to understand. _"You're the strongest girl I've ever known."_

But his voice has shifted again- and against himself, against the rules he had so carefully constructed— _"Eh It's getting late isn't it? Good girls should be in bed by now shouldn't they? But there's one more thing- tomorrow morning, at sunrise. I want to see you. You know where don't you? I'll be waiting. But as always- the choice is yours n_ _eh?"_

He doesn't give her room to answer. This time, maybe he already knows what she'll say. But before she can voice a protest in edgewise- she is greeted with the mocking tone of the dial.

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 _And she knows...this could be the end of her._

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-She knows what her father would say, what he would think. She knows what fate would befall her should Neji catch her- _and yet-_ she rises with the first creeping rays of dawn, as the morning rays warm the cold of her chamber. Quietly, silently- she rises, dresses in the morning chill.

Her mind is blank- she does not want to think of anything, does not want to remind herself once more that this- is foolish. She feels as if she has no choice- as if she has been waiting forever for the events that would soon transpire. And he know it, has known it. And maybe she too- has known it, has felt it.

 _'I know that he has been waiting for this, waiting for this moment ever since-'_ But she could only shake the dark of her head. _What...was she doing?_ Why- _why after all this time-_ was he finally reaching out to her? He had seemed content to simply watch her from afar, to haunt her with his smile- and sometimes- to taunt her with the reminder of everything that was between them, if the secret between them. But this- _'What...w-what is i-it that he wants from me?'_ She thought quietly, fearfully to herself. _'If it's...the promise-'_ But she didn't want to remember, didn't want to think of it. In the end- she was...the same old coward, the same weakling as always. _'You're...still running away- from him- from your burdens, your destiny-from the truth-'_

But against herself she remembers his words. _["Ah! See!? That's why no one else will do. That's why it has to be you."]-_ She knows better than to trust him- and yet she does. She knows better than to believe him- and yet she does. She knows better than to admit that deep down in the dark of her heart- _'You cannot. Must not. You can't allow yourself to forget the truth. That...that he is-'_ But she cannot give the words voice, give them form. She listens patiently outside of her door for the quiet silence of Neji's footsteps- and hears nothing. He has no doubt already departed for morning meditation, where he would go alongside her father to steel his resolve and strengthen his mind from being vulnerable to darkness, to temptation. _["I want to see you."]_ Despite what he had said- she knows the truth of her own weakness. But for the moment- she does not regret it.

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 _Oh Beloved- the time draws ever nearer._ _And I- have been waiting. I have always been waiting for the moment when you would come, when you would hearken to me. Not yet, Not yet- but soon, very soon- it has begun- the beautiful moment in which you will come into yourself, the fullness of your truth. Again I know- that it will be difficult- Again, I know- that you will not think you can bear it. You will not think that you are strong enough for this- for me-_

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 _-but dearest-_

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 _-you are. It is why I choose you._

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 _And for me- for us both- it is far too late. You can no longer be redeemed. You can no longer be saved. Because now- no one else will do. Above all others, beyond all that is precious, beyond all that is sacred-_

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 _-It has to be you._

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The large oak tree is towering overhead now- larger- reaching it seems, to the very heavens overhead. Back then- it had seemed so large- now, it was even more so. _'It has been a long time...since I have been here.'_ She stands before it _,_ gently places her hand against the knotted wood, the familiarity of this place rising to the surface. It is a small opened clearing, the wild grass overgrown now, ringed by tightly interwoven trees, growing as one upwards far overhead. When she had been young- the small meadow had been filled with flowers. In the shadowy fog of her memories, she remembers acutely the pale skinned visage of her mother, seated there with her-

 _'But even then...she had been frail...a pale, slip of nothing...it seemed as if at any moment...she was going to slip away from me. If only...if only I had known then...'_ She swallowed the same old sadness, fought the same bitter tears. It was too late now. Then- her mother had seemed to her a walking spirit, a shadow of the magnificent woman she had been told tales of. She knew what it was- that had paled her skin, that had seems to steal the very life from her veins, her very spirit.

-It had been the burden of their lineage, the weight of their expectations, the reminder that above all else, before she was a woman, before she was herself, before she could live her truth, she was a _Hyuuga_ \- more than anyone else- _'Now I know. Now...I understand why she felt the way she did. Now I understand why she...would come here to be alone with her sorrow. And why she...wanted to bring me with her. She knew that maybe someday...one day...I would share her fate.'_ The thought was one that had pained her on many sleepless nights. All within the clan had known of it- how the beautiful Hyuuga heiress was fated to one heir, when she yet loved another...but...as always...one's duty to the clan preceded all else. _One must always think of the clan. One must always remember their lineage, their birthright._

She remembers her father again- and how hatefully, how spitefully his words and gaze would find her. And he...had remarried not long after her mother's passing. To this day- there was yet another whom she had never seen- one who would yet carry on their lineage in ways that she could not. A sister who had the strength that she did not. A sister who could be the heir the clan needed, one the clan deserved. Where as she- _**"You are weak. You have always been weak. But you will yet serve some purpose."**_

 _'And Neji's gaze...is as cold as my father's.'_ It was a painful, sobering thought. The gaze not to protect, to cherish- but one built to conquer, to overwhelm, to take until there was nothing left. _Again_ \- she feels as if she is suffocating, as if she is drowning. _'But Mother...you...felt the same way didn't you? You suffered the same way...didn't you? Did you also...want to be saved?'_ And yet- she could still remember the echo of her mother's laughter, ringing hollow in the halls. _'But you never once hated him. You tried your hardest to please him, to please them. But even so...once you had outlived your usefulness...he let you waste away into nothing.'_ She understood not- how her mother had felt. Understood completely the absolute loneliness that had driven her here, to this place, to this clearing seeking peace and reflection. She understood now why her mother had always seemed to look at her with such adoration, with such wordless devotion, with such _pity._ Maybe she had known that having a daughter born from the same weakness as herself...would result in one that would share her same fate.

 _'But even so...you would yet smile through your pain...and you would...smooth the dark of my hair with your hands. You would...weave a crown of flowers to place on my head. And...you would say-'_

 _['Oh my dearest...' Cooed softly, lovingly, as she wiped the tears away from large pale eyes. She had the same eyes- pale, soft and filled with a quiet agony that she could never voice. The same beautiful dark hair, rippling behind her. The same fragile hands. But even so- she would speak through her own tears, comforting her as best as she could. 'Don't cry love, don't cry. Haven't I told you?' She would smile beautifully, wonderfully at this- 'I came here- and I asked the heavens to give me a child- and an angel gave you to me. So dearest- if you're ever sad, if you're ever lonely- come here and speak. And maybe, just maybe...one day...your angel will answer you too-]_

 _Here-_ it had been _here-_ on a night unlike any other. Many years after- that he had held her hand while she cried, angry, bitter tears. He had wiped them away gently with his own. _'Don't worry-'_ He had said in the moment before. _'I'll wait. And someday, somehow- I'll set you free.'_ She remembers again- the way those blue eyes had drawn closer, closer- and the sweet warmth of his lips. He withdrew with a smile- but in his eyes- there was _more._ _'And in return...there is one thing I would ask of you...'_

A warm hand makes it way over her eyes, another encircling her waist with an ease that stunned her in its familiarity. "Guess _who?"_ He asks boisterously, like a child. She gasps aloud, feeling her face flame, her heart beating erratically in her chest, seeming to jump straight into her throat. For a moment she finds she lacks the strength to do anything save stand their stupidly, in shock and embarrassment, before finally she feels the words stumbling from her lips- _"N-N-N-Naruto-k-kun-"_ Voicing his name seems to solidify the reality of his arms around her, the long, lean lines of his form pressed gently against her own, encircling her in that same overbearing warmth. It- is not the boy of ten holding her tightly to himself. It is a man's body- dwarfing her own in a way that made her anxious, that made her _understand._ He was no longer- the sweet faced child from her memory...

She sucks in a breath, making a sudden, violent, anxious motion to leave his grasp- but he stops her, trapping her in a loose hold that only whispered of the same careless strength as always. "Hmm I don't think so! I like you right where you are!" He laughs at this, as if in jest- and she can only fidget anxiously, nervously in his grasp- conscious in the dark that she is acutely aware of her heart hammering in her chest. She feels as if he can hear it too, as if he can _sense_ it, and as if he is pleased because of it- she can already imagine the smile that she knows is on his face.

 _"L-L-Let me g-g-go."_ She whispers quietly, surprised at how fragile, how pained the words sounded as they left her lips. She waits breathless in the dark for his answer, swallowing nervously as she feels him lowering his head. And quietly, softly- **_"No."_** She feels it again- that same odd feeling beginning to make itself known in her chest. The same odd tingle racing down her spine. The goosebumps. She shudders nervously in the heat of his arms. Something inside of her is tightening, winding- something she could neither voice nor understand. But he knew- drawing nearer- she closes her eyes tightly in the dark, to the point of pain. _"N-Naruto-kun-"_ She stammers out pathetically- because she knows to struggle is futile- that to fight him, to fight this- is pointless. In this moment she feels weak with the reality of her own helplessness, the reality of the truth that seems to exist in the callous strength of his embrace.

In the darkness he murmurs sweetly, darkly to her- _"What were you thinking about?"_ He asks quietly, the heat of his breath ghosting along the shell of her ear, making everything that was within her rise to the surface in one rush of heat and shame. But his voice is coaxing, curious- but she can think no longer, can think of nothing but the warmth of his body pressed against her own, the way her entire body seemed to be shuddering, trembling in his grasp. "…I-It was….n-nothing…"

"Nothing?" He added incredulously, scoffing aloud at the half hearted words. "You shouldn't lie to me Hina-chan." He stated petulantly, like a child, blowing gently into the shell of her ear. She jumped in his grasp at the warmth of his breath, fighting the sound threatening to burst between her lips. She feels as if her heart cannot possible beat any faster than it is in this moment, roaring so loudly in her ears that she feels as if at any moment she would fall into unforgiving darkness. The heat of his body, molded firmly against her own, the overwhelming warmth of his embrace- her breath sounds haggard, pained- she feels as if she is a moment away from fainting- _**"Should I tell you what you were thinking about?"**_ He states quietly, hotly. It is _his_ voice again- deepening, darkening again- _she is going to faint, she is going to burst into flames she_ -

"But I won't!" He added with a sharp laugh, suddenly releasing her. She comes to herself immediately, gasping aloud as she spun away from his grasp, sucking in a large breath as she clutched her hands tight to her chest. Her heart- was thrumming violently beneath her palm- she feels flushed, overwhelmed, as if she had been bathing in the sun- _warm_ \- she feels _overwhelmingly warm_ \- she feels as if she cannot collect her thoughts, her mind blank. She views him hesitantly, still remembering with a hard swallow that he had only released her because he had _wished_ to do so, not because she had asked. That was the type of being that he was- he always- did as he pleased. And with that same unforgiving strength- But she can't say anything at the look of triumph in his eyes. He smiles brightly, cheerfully, at the anxious look in her own, as if to assure her once more- that he meant her no harm.

"Eh? You shouldn't look so worried Hina-chan." He added conversationally, the same bright smile still etched into the lines of his face. But beyond that smile- _was more._ "You know I like to mess with you is all." He continued with another laugh as he stepped away, resting the long, lean lines of his form easily against the worn bark of the oak tree. In the dim of morning, he watched her. Now- his bright blue eyes seemed brighter, deeper, more pronounced than before. "But that's enough playing around wouldn't you say? Why...why did you come?"

He asked her clearly, in that straightforward way of his. Blue eyes- did not waver for even a moment from her own. Again she is reminded once more that this is not the face of the sweet faced boy she had loved. This man standing before her- despite how loud his laughter, despite how wide his smile- was a man in full control of his power, who understood completely the hold he had on her. Truthfully the question was not- _'Why did you come-' -_ but she can see it in his smile- _'What took you so long..?'_

She had no answer. And yet she wants to ask again. In her memory always- those childhood days stretched behind her, sprawling, never-ending. The too short boy of ten- and then- here was the lines of the tall proud man of twenty standing before her. There had never- been an in between. Her mind is assaulted with fleeting, flashing moments, disjointed snippets of thought slowly rising to the surface-

"I…I d-don't k-know…" She stammers. She cannot say it, does not. Again- she feels as if she is standing on some dark, far flung shore, waiting for the tide to pull her under. Dragging her down into an abyss she cannot begin to fathom- she knows only that it's filled with the cold echoes of his smile. **_"Yes. You do."_** He interjected smoothly, his blue eyes, searching, knowing. _His voice_ \- but abruptly as if the thought has struck him, it shifts again, becoming more gentle, more coaxing. "You've always known Hinata." He added, with a wry, dark smile. "You don't _want_ to. But you _do_." She feels sick at what she sees in his eyes.

 _"Hinata-"_ but in the words, in the suddenly dark tint to cloudy blue eyes- is something she has always known, has always felt. His eyes almost betray him- but he hides it- the look of pure longing, of heat that flashes through his eyes for the briefest of moments. He hides it in his smile. "You have always...trusted me completely haven't you? Even though you know the truth-" He smiles, this time if only to himself.

" _ **Ah**_...You've always been such a _**good**_ girl. Even though you have never quite been able to say what you want. To do what you pleased. You've always let so many things go unsaid. The words you want to say to your father- the words you want to say to that silly 'husband' of yours...even now, after all this time- it really did take you awhile to ask even _me_ eh? I'm almost hurt you know? I thought we were friends!" he spoke in jest, flinching and grasping his chest mockingly as if she had wounded him deeply.

"I knew it would take time- but man, I honestly never thought it would take you _that_ long. To finally ask me- _But wait-!_ "he held up a finger pointedly, childishly again, his smile mischievous. "This was my favorite part you know? I have to get it _juuuuust_ right-" He pauses, his brow furrowed in concentration as he parted his lips- and to her utmost surprise, to her _horror_ \- it is _her own voice_ that leaves his lips. Disjointed- she feels as if she is dreaming- it is the image of the man she loves, she adores- but she it is her voice leaving his lips, every shuddering, breathless word as she had said- _"N-Naruto-kun... **Who** are **you?"**_

She feels it again- as if the entire world is spinning out of focus- she is struck immobile from the force of her shock, a crippling anxiety that renders her helpless before him. The air is changing, shifting again, becoming something _darker_ , something heavy, something that far exceeded her naive understanding of the man before her. But he only smiles at the look of torment, of pained anguish that is beginning to blossom on her face. It is the same old game as always- but the rules are changing, have changed. But his mood changes again- his smile turns fleeting, forlorn.

"But that was the wrong question again...wasn't it?" He murmured quietly. "But it's alright...you know I don't blame you. Rather I think I know you better than most wouldn't you say Hina-chan?" He added gently, taking a slow, lnaguid step towards her. "Such as...how I know you don't want them to know...how it horrifies you to think of it- of the reality of the truth. I know...how it has plagued you-" Softly, sweetly- _she can't think, she can't breathe_ \- she feels as if she is a frail wisp of nothing, standing outside of herself and watching this moment unfold. He steps closer to her, his hooded gaze still rendering her immobile. He draws _closer-_ she wants to step back but she feels frozen, rooted to the spot-as he softly murmurs-

"But he knows- your father. He is not the old fool you think he is. Why do you think…he has gone to such length to warn you away from me? Why do you think…he has finally decided to move forward with your engagement?" _Dangerous-_ she feels the goosebumps rise along her skin again, feels the small delicate hairs rising on the back of her neck again- the same electric tingle racing from head to spine with frightening heat. He reaches out his hand- and carefully, gently- tucks a lock of dark hair behind her hair. She imagines that she feels the bite of claws _but_ \- _"N-Naruto-"_ She wants to tell him to stop- _but she cannot_ \- wants to tell him to go, _but cannot_ \- wants to tell him to leave _but-_

"-you know what he wants to do. Him and all his ilk- they've always been the same with their women neh? And do not mistake him. He will _break_ you. He will _ruin_ you. He wants to _destroy you completely_. He hates you- because of the one who came before you, because of me. But that's how he's always been." _Closer, closer, closer_ her vision is filled with blue as he leans nearer, whispers quietly-

"And still- you _still_ won't answer me? Even though you know that all you have to do...is say the word? _**My cute little Hina-chan. My sweet, selfless girl."**_ The sweetly, dangerously murmured words- his voice- is darkening again- she knows his control is slipping, taunted by her closeness, the song of her blood. This close- she can see clearly the flash of his fangs, the red beginning to ring the blue. But she doesn't want to hear this- she knows what he is going to say- he had always laughed at her weakness, at her inability to do what came so naturally to him- to be free. It was why he had promised her freedom, why he had sealed it with a kiss. But she doesn't want to hear this- _she doesn't want to hear this-_ she feels sick again with the memory, the reminder of the moment when they had pulled the sheet up to cover her mother's corpse.

"You have always put them before yourself, despite how much they have bound you, despite how much they have chained you. Is that...what you want? To wind up just like **_her_?** _Just like-" Don't say it. Don't say her name. Stopit. Stopit. Stopitstopitstopitstopit-_

" ** _Stop it!"_** the words rips themselves from her so suddenly it startles them both with the violence with which they had left her. Imperceptibly- his eyes widen, taken aback by her sudden outburst- but he withdraws immediately, reminding her once more of the careful rules he had set. He takes with him the overpowering weight of his shadow. She hangs her head, fighting it- fighting the silly, helpless urge to scream, to cry- _again_ \- she feels as if she wants to cry again- her shoulders are tense, her hands tightened into pale fists- but he watches her carefully, with something far more dangerous than pity, far more profound than sympathy. But it's no use any longer- she hangs her head- hiding her gaze from the bewitching power that lie in his own. her mind was a storm of emotions she could not begin to unwind- she is conscious of nothing but the same old knot lodged in her throat. Foolishly- she regrets the way she had pushed him away, as she always did. And then- she remembered all over again. She draws in a long, painful breath, tries to calm her racing pulse.

 _'Everything is happening so fast...I've...I've already said too much, done too much- I can't take much more of this- what...what is is he wants? He cannot...break the rules. It's fine...I know...that he can't hurt me...I know...that he doesn't want to hurt me, he never has. All he wants...is my answer. And I-'_

" _It's alright."_ His words cut through the roar of her mind slowly, carefully lulling her back into a state of calm. She breathes deeply, fighting the fear, the nausea that wants to make itself known. She is reminded again, of the reality of this moment.

"Don't be afraid. Don't you…trust me? Don't you…love me?" He asks her quietly. But it's pointless- he always knows the answer to both of those questions. He only asks to remind _her_. But again- there is a dangerous edge to his sweet, coaxing words- a dark tint to the heat of his half lidded eyes. She dares not raise her head- she knows better, she understands now that to do so is a _weakness_ , that to do so is an _opening_ and yet- she cannot fight it, cannot fight _him._

"Naruto-kun-" But the blue eyes that meets hers are warm, sensuous, dark with promise. "You know…that it's already too late right...? You've already called me here. And I...intend to finish what I started. I intend...to keep my promise." She didn't want to remember- could not remember- always- her memories came in disjointed bursts, in fragmented pieces. The warmth of his hand. The echo of his laughter. The pure sweetness of his lips as they had found hers. But deeper, further, darker, the truth-

"I-I-I d-d-don't u-understand." She stammered out helplessly, fighting the wave of panic, of horror, seeming to hang over her, waiting to unleash fully the reality of this moment that was still happening right before her eyes. She has never understood, has never been able to grasp it- _the truth_. But it is here, right before her eyes. It is his shadow, clearly, darkly, right beneath her feet- "Y-You -h-have n-never...t-told me. N-Not even o-once. You know that I...I c-cannot...w-will not answer you. And y-yet...W-Why w-won't y-you leave m-me? W-what...w-what i-is it t-that you w-want? " She asks him, her eyes pained, tormented as they rise to meet his.

And for the first time since she has known him, for the first time since the very beginning- blue eyes _burn red_ \- quickly, fleetingly, like a newly kindled blaze. They roar to life and then fade away again, back to blue, murky and clouded. It is a moment before he answers- but then- a sardonic smile makes its way onto his lips.

" _Oh Hina-chan!"_ Said fondly, lovingly- "Now that one should be _easy!_ The same thing I've _always_ wanted, the same thing I've _always_ craved." He tosses his head back, laughs. In the bright glow of morning it is a dark, foreboding sound. In this moment- no longer does it insight in her a wordless, unfounded awe- she shivers, feeling her entire body begin to tremble- and yet she cannot run, she cannot flee- she knows what he will say- has always known- before the words have ever left his lips.

 _ **"You."**_

* * *

 _AN: Sorry in advance for the crappy editing I'm awful at it sometimes._

 _Well finally we touch on a few things here: The death of Hinata's mother, who bids her to go to the meadow and 'speak' when she's lonely- the fact that her mother had the same fate as herself and was equally miserable- and a little more of the truth._

 _What is Naruto now? And what was the vow exactly? Hmm..._

 _I was trying to keep Naruto swinging between innocent boy and menacing creature but somehow I'm not sure if I pulled it off- he seems mostly menacing to me...I apologize in advance for making Hinata so helpless for the moment, don't worry she will find her voice. i intended this to be short and to the point, but this seems as if it is changing into a longer fic than I had anticipated...Anyway hope you all enjoy this weeks chapter. Please do drop me a line and let me know how you like it._


	4. You Hearken To

_Beloved._

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 _Hearken to my voice, as you always have, as you always will._

 _What lies between us...is that which transcends thought, which defies logic, which circumvents entirely the depth of your fragile, fleeting emotions. You know the folly of the attempt. Of trying to articulate the sublime agony of your feelings, trying in vain to interpret the shuddering trepidations of your heart. Oh you know it dearest- know it truly, deeply- for what it is._

 _But yet again, you cast your eyes willingly to the darkness. Yet again, you will not hearken to the truth of my words. Yet again- you will not acknowledge the strength of these hands, which yearn to do nothing but embrace you. You comfort yourself in the depths of your being, armoring yourself with lies, with reason...when I am here. Yet again- you think of nothing but the dark of a night long ago, when I took you, and brought you close to me._

 _That beautiful, wondrous moment...it was then._

 _It was then that you glimpsed, for the briefest of moments, the depths of my being. And frightened- you refused to look again. Oh dearest- if you only knew how it pained me- to be thus abandoned, to be thus disregarded. Even though I understand you truly, fully. In all things you refuse to acknowledge that for us, for you...normalcy no longer exists. Think what you will, believe what you like. But you cannot disregard the dark of your thoughts, the black of your desires, once so clean and pure-_

 _I know._

 _I know how you have wondered. How you have dreamed darkly in quiet agony, of all that I am. But truthfully, dearest- you needn't wonder, you needn't fret. I am here if you wish it. I am here if you would but speak. I am here. For you and you alone. Dearest- you know that in the black of my being, I long for nothing but the murmur of your breath as you part those succulent lips- and finally- say the words I have been waiting for, longing for. And yet you still hesitate. You still cower before me as if I am stranger, as if you have never longed for the heat of my touch, for the comforting warmth of my smile. As if I was never all that you had wanted, had needed, had hungered for._

 _Beloved- don't look at me like that- with those beautiful eyes like the moon, tight with fear. Beloved...you know that despite all things, beyond all things before I am the creature you fear, the being you loathe- I am the one that you love, have loved since your heart first beat to the sound of my voice. Oh Beloved-_

 _-and yet how sweet I find the fear in your eyes, the tremble on your lips. Oh dearest...how I delight in the pale of your skin...how I long to trace, to caress the delicate lines of your silhouette with my hands, my lips...beloved...how wondrous you would taste...how beautiful you would be, breaking, falling too pieces, in my arms, screaming wordlessly, endlessly with the pleasure that only I could give you-_

 _Oh Beloved- have I not said it enough? You know how I hunger endlessly, ceaselessly, for the sweet of your skin._

 _But not yet, not yet. But soon- **soon**..._

 _But you need not fear. The scalding heat of my eyes, the dark depths of my being, the desire that is always there for you and you alone...despite all things...I am what I have always been, and will always be._

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 _Yours._

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The promise.

Solemnly murmured, always desired. _'Don't worry. Someday, somehow-'_ The sweet, gentle heat of his eyes, the warmth of his hand. The delicate sweetness of his lips. _'I will set you free.'_ She would never forget it. _His voice_...then it had been deep, _infinite. 'I intend to finish what I started.'_

-And no one could ever quite seem to recall when Naruto had made himself known to them. Her quiet inquiries after entering the Academy had resulted in confused murmurs, quirked brows and empty expressions. And they would say- ' _E_ _h..._ _Naruto..? Ah! You mean **that** one? Hmm...I'm not sure...'_

She could see the empty wheels behind their blank eyed gazes, could feel as always, the goosebumps making themselves known on her skin- _'Didn't_ _he enter the Academy with us? He is in our class-' 'Yes but weren't there a lot of odd rumors around him-? Or maybe not-?'_

-the hairs rising on the back of her neck- _'Did he get held back?' 'No- hasn't he always been around-?' 'But isn't it odd, that he's here when he has no lineage of his own, no family?'_

-and the reminder of his laughter, echoing through the marble halls. _'Maybe it's really not that strange-' 'Naruto does keep things interesting-'_ _'But- I'm not sure-' 'Sorry, I don't really know-'_

And despite the rumors about his lack of lineage, he had never lacked for company. He kept equally rowdy, equally boisterous people near him. He was always around others who lived as wild and recklessly as he did. He preferred the rough, but good natured Kiba Inuzuka- the always slothful Shikamaru Nara...he joked fondly with both the fun loving Sakura and Ino- who both only seemed to seek his company because he had an odd friendship with the always reserved Sasuke Uchiha.

It seemed at once that he had many friends but at the same time, as if he had none. _['The way Kiba would shrug his shoulders when she had overcome her reservations to quietly ask him- 'Eh? You're asking about that bastard? Ha! How long have I known him eh? Who can fucking remember! You're asking the wrong one girlie. If you want to know the answer to that-']_ But she was a coward. She already knew the _answer._ She already knew the _truth._ _'What...is it I was seeking? What is it I was asking for? I...I don't know...'_

Shikamaru was impossible to find. He attended even less infrequently than Naruto did, pardoned somehow due to the staggering extent of his genius. Both Sakura and Ino would laugh off her inquiries, as if the very thought that she held him in any kind of regard, and was interested in him in any form was preposterous- _[_ _'You're really asking about Naruto? That knuckle head?! Come on now Hinata! Who would have thought the Hyuuga heiress would have such a sense of humor-' 'What is there to know about that failure? He barely pays attention, scrapes by on all of his exams- only the gods know why Sasuke tolerates that idiot-']_

She did...not speak to Sasuke Uchiha much. It was hard to find him, to make her way through the crowd of people who always seemed to flock, innately to his side. He was not one for idle talk or chatter. They called him a genius, and he stood on the strength of his own merit. He was flawless in his execution, his perception of assignments and tasks. He was...different from her. He accepted the burden of his lineage with steely eyed grace. According to many this was accounted for perhaps, by a tragedy some time ago...where his entire family had been cruelly slain by the previous heir.

It had been a ghastly, horrific event, one whose memory still echoed throughout the far flung reaches of society. No one would dare speak on it aloud- but even amongst her clan the foul rumors still persisted- _'They say the eldest Uchiha went mad!' '-he spared none but the youngest heir-'_ and deeper, _**darker** \- '-the eldest was a genius, a prodigy- but he did have a score of peculiar talents, and always...an unusual interest in the study of demons-' _-but they would not speak more of it, frightened at the thought that such rumors might be true...and she... _dared_ not believe them, dared not even _dream_ of it. Because she _knew._

 _S_ he understood truly- what such a thing would mean. She understood truly...the dark of his laughter then in ways she would never admit.

But in the same fearful, frightened way she refused to acknowledge the truth of herself, and her own vow...she refused to see it in others. Against herself she cast aside the horror of her thoughts, of her truth, buried them deep beneath her longing for that time long ago, when that wild haired boy had took her hand...

But Sasuke...was the only one who Naruto would seek in the white walled academy, the only one he would willingly find beside herself. And he- _'[-had kept his expression placid, cold and closed off as it always was. He seemed to think little of her question, to think nothing of the suddenness with which she had asked him about his frequent companion and sometimes friend. He had cold black eyes, which always stared at everything around him as if he refused to acknowledge anything, not even himself. But he answered her honestly. 'If you want to know that you should ask him. I don't know any more than you do.'-]_

And she...remembered when _he_ had first made himself _known_ to her, when he had first reached out a hand to her. Since then, her entire life it seemed, was one carousel of colors, of thoughts and feelings all formed around the warmth of his smile. It seemed as if he had _always_ been there- watching, waiting- to grab her hand in his. It seemed like he would _always_ be there- laughing, smiling, and living with such wild strength. But she hadn't allowed herself to forget.

She remembered that Neji...had found them after the vow.

Wild haired boy with the golden hair and dark haired treasure, shyly kissing beneath the big oak tree to seal the depth of their bond, their _promise_ to one another. She would never forget the cold, icy fury that had raged behind his eyes when he had found them. She would never forget the way he had charged Naruto, had struck him, violently, powerfully, with all of the force he could find. _The sound-!_ He had raised his fist again and again- and with all of the force he had- lowered them. She had _screamed_ \- not because of the absurdity, or the intensity of the violence- she had screamed because there _it was again._ The dark of Naruto's shadow, black as pitch on the ground beneath them. And she was the only one who _knew._

And Naruto...had only _laughed._ The same wild laugh as always. But beneath that was something she had tried not to see, something she had willingly forgotten, the truth she refused to acknowledge.

Even though Neji did not know the truth- he had never seemed to forgot that moment. Even now she knew that memory was always prevalent in his mind, mocking him, taunting him with its implications, with the reality of the future wife who could not- _would not_ \- love him. She knew it had struck a bitter blow to his pride, to his very sense of self. That he, such a superior, powerful being- could not enrapture her with that cold superiority that had led all others to fall at his feet. To think that such a quiet, weak willed woman would not truly belong him to no matter what duty mandated. She could feel the weight of it every time he watched her with his icy pale gaze. He had told her father of her meetings with the wild boy with neither clan nor family to call his own- and that had been the beginning of the end for her first love.

After that year and its disastrous ending when they had parted, she had spent many years enduring private lessons and discipline at the direction of her father. Completely isolated from all others save the clan, in some hopes that such exile would inspire in her more complete understanding, more willingness to heed to their warnings, their instruction.

Truthfully she knew why her Father had acted so harshly- it was _dangerous._ Such a lofty dream, an ideal as foolish as freedom. Many times her father would oversee her learning, coldly reminding her again, and again, and _again_. _'You must serve your purpose. For the good of the clan. This is your duty. This is your birthright.'_

And she...had not seen him again until she had been of age to formally attend the academy. She had been shocked, mystified- and despite all things, despite the distance of years and silence that had stretched between them, it was _him_ in the flesh as he had always been in the sweetness of her memories. The too short boy of ten had grown. But he was still there as he _promised_ \- waiting for her.

She had been strongly cautioned not to seek him, not to speak with him, not to engage him under threat of severe punishment. She had been explicitly and tirelessly informed, strictly warned. With Neji being ever close by- and _always,_ without fail he would find her alone, in passing, fleeting moments.

There was much that had not changed- the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, the tilt of his smile, the same odd markings on his cheeks when he stretched them in laughter. She had not been able to fight it. Much had not changed. It was the same old longing that would lead her gaze to rest fondly upon him as he lay sprawled out in slumber across his desk. The same way she would always be listening for the bright tone of his voice, his laughter. The same heat that would find her cheeks at the thought of him. The same familiar beat of her heart at his approach, his nearness, the sound of his voice. Without fail it was the same childlike, innocent, pure hearted love. She had not been able to shake it, to forget it, to cast it aside.

 _But-_

She had understood as she had grown, as she had blossomed with understanding, with awareness with each passing year. As she had learned, had studied all there was to know about those strange powerful beings... _demons._ Year by year without him by her side, without the warmth of his hand- she had understood. This love...was _foolish_. This love...was _wrong_. This love... _would end her._ Because of the promise, because of the _vow..._ _'That which lies between us...I'm still the same coward I've always been. I'm...frightened. Of that vow, that promise...'_ But she had been reading the book. He had already told her. _'You can no longer be redeemed. You can no longer be saved. Beyond all that is precious, beyond all that is sacred-_

He was still waiting for her answer.

All this time he had been waiting, watching, _patiently_ biding away his days until the time when she would hearken to him. He had not come for her, had not truly sought her. There had been passing words, taunts, gestures. His laughing eyes would follow her as hers followed his. He would walk through her shadow just to watch her squirm. He would be waiting for her, always with a ready smile, an easy laugh. But he had not... _come_ for her.

Because for him...that simply wouldn't do. _It had to be her._ She had to seek him willingly, of her own will. He knew that out of the fragile weakness of her heart, out of the depth of her love, out of the weakness of her spirit and resolve- once more- she would hearken to his voice.

She had never once thought her father, Neji- had known- that they suspected the reality of the nature of their relationship, but his words brought full circle the horror that _maybe..._ they did.

 _What if her father had always known it?_ Had he always _felt_ it just like she did? _'No- I won't believe it. I cannot! If he knew- if he truly knew the horror of what I have done- he would not allow me before him. He would cast me aside, would leave me bitterly to my fate. He would exile me from the clan. This is Naruto-kun who has said this-'_ -maybe his words meant nothing.' _Or they may mean everything'_ -she knows how mocking his smiles could be- _'My father cannot possibly know-'_ -but those blue eyes could see through everything and everyone. _'But if_ _he knows...oh Mother-'_ The thought was too terrible to finish, to complete, not even in her mind.

-because before him, not even her thoughts were sacred.

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He was still standing before her, laughing.

Despite all things he taunted her, mystified her, laughed with her as if he cared not for the secret she tried so hard to hide. As if he did not know of the truth she tried to bury in the pit of her being. She had not been able to understand then in her youth, to fully realize its horror then. B _ut now_ \- in this moment, it was there again, right in front of her eyes.

She feels sick, pale, haggard with the reality of it, finally placed before her.

"Hey Hina-chan." He comes back to himself suddenly, his voice cheerful, mischievous again. The bright light of his eyes is glowing painfully, wonderfully beautiful in the gloom of morning. She is acutely aware of her own pounding heart, sinking into the pit of her chest. She wonders at the sound of her blood, roaring in her ears. She feels stripped of thought, robbed of feeling- but she can feel it coming, feel the terrible finality of reality coming to take her away. She can feel it coming, like a foul black tide, threatening to overwhelm her. What he wants- _is you._ _'But you always knew that didn't you? Haven't you read those words for yourself? Deny it all you want, ignore it like the coward you are- but you knew-'_

"It was here wasn't it? That we met?" he added suddenly, his eyes bright and twinkling. He said it nonchalantly, as if he did not know of it, as if it were a passing, fleeting memory. She knew that his kind did not forget. It was the same old Naruto-kun as always, the one she had always known, making light of everything.

"Don't you remember _that night?_ " Coaxing, laughing at the memory. He smiles. But again there is something in it that startles her. She realizes in this moment that she understands him in his entirety- that his face is as clear and unforgettable to her as her own. And she remembers her mother's words again.

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[ _Don't cry love, don't cry. Haven't I told you? If you're ever sad, if you're ever lonely-]_

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 _[-come here and speak. And maybe, just maybe...one day...]_

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 _[-your angel will answer you-]_

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 _The forest in the dark of her memory is a foreboding, all encompassing stretch of darkness, towering far overhead into starless night. She runs it seems, through a never ending stretch of overgrown trail, her eyes blinded with tears. Where she is going- she doesn't know._

 _She wanders as if in a dream- stumbling pathetically over the dark underbrush, tumbling harshly to her knees. She lies there sprawled across the forest floor- feeling the hot tight warmth of the tears she wants to shed knotted deep in her heart. She rolls over onto her back, sightlessly surveys the dark of the sky overhead. She reaches her hands upwards, noting how small, how insignificant they are in comparison. They are small, pathetic things. They are incapable of everything, had failed her time and time again. These hands...had not even been strong enough to hold tightly to the hands of the person she had loved most in the world._

 _She was the one who had let her slip away into nothing- she was the one who had been incapable of saving her. In the end, she had been everything her father had always told her. Worthless. Weak. And that is when the tears come._

 _She chokes back a sob- fights it- covering her face with her arms to scream wordlessly against her skin. It was no use- she was too young to realize the truth of the world in which she had found herself- but she could feel the weight of it. She could hear the words of her father. Curt, cold, and heavy with disappointment._

 _She was inconsolable, still overcome with a sorrow so potent, so tangible that it seemed to rest heavy over her entire being. She could still remember with wordless horror the moment when she had entered her mother's chamber. She had found her Father there for the first time in the entirety of her existence. But that wasn't what stopped her. It is the pale, peaceful form of her mother lying in her bed, eyes closed as if in slumber. Even in death she was a beauty- a delicate, wondrous creature- but her father's gaze is hard, bitter as it rests on her form._

 _'And this...is the price of such foolishness, such weakness...I wish to see her no longer. Do away with her.'_

 _He states curtly, and the servants cover her form in a blanket of white. He turns and finds her then. She is silent, incapable of words- but there are the tears, bitter and warm in her eyes. She trembles at the doorway, cowering from the reality of the moment she can feel but cannot understand. But he reaches to neither console nor comfort her._

 _'_ _Just like her mother. This one- I can do nothing with her. As expected...she is no use. She is-'_

 _-But she can't finish it. She dares not. Now more than any other day of her fleeting existence- she feels the weight of the bitter look of contempt in his eyes. There are the precious, faded memories of the woman who had given birth to her... she was still haunted by the sweet of her scent and the calming sound of her voice. But to her clan...she was a burden, a reminder of her mothers weakness. She feels as if she is more shadow than girl. As if to them she is barely worth noting. As if she should not, could not exist._

 _She had no one...and she had run to the only comfort, the only solace she had ever known aside from the comforting warmth of her mother's presence. The meadow- was filled with that sweet smelling memory, and the haunting reminder of her mother's words. But at this she could no longer fight it-against herself she sobbed loudly, recklessly into the palms of her hands. She feels it again, more pronounced than before- the true weight of her clan, bearing down fully upon her. And she is to weak to fight it, but understood with a child's understanding that she never would. And-_

 ** _'-Whhhhhy are you cryiiiing-?'_**

 _-a voice speaks to her._

 _She pauses at this, stunned into wordless silence. It is as if it is coming from everywhere around her- and then, as if it is echoing in the very pit of her being. Abruptly, startled, she sits up, hurriedly wiping her tears and blinking to clear her vision. She staggers shakily to her feet in embarrassment- had her father not told her to never show such a shameful act to others? Had he not warned her that punishment would be swift and merciless for such weakness? But no matter how she anxiously scoured the darkness- she finds no one at the end of her gaze. 'Where? Who?' She sucks in a shallow breath, turns on her heel to survey the enclosed clearing but still...there is no one there-_

 _But again, quietly from the formless darkness, she hears- '_ _ **Whhhhhhy...are yooooou crying?'**_ _The voice is curious, coaxing, gentle- but...odd- 'Is it...the voice of...a man? A...woman?' Or...more? She cannot distinguish the toneless murmur of the words- but against herself- against all of the training that had been so forcefully ground into her, against all of the times she has been told, cautioned, and warned...after all the hours of meditation spent strengthening her mind, her resolve- it all seems to leave her._

 _Her father's warning. Neji's scolding. Her tutor, chiding her once more. Only her mother's words are there, echoing in her head. [If you're ever sad, if you're ever lonely...]-Against all of these things- she answers._

 _"- B-Because…I...I am a-alone." She admits, chokes on the truth of the words, feels them as surely as if she has always known it. Already...resigned to this fate. "N-Now...t-there is no o-one...there is no one h-here for me." She answers honestly, fighting back cold tears._

 _The voice- seems to echo, to sigh, to murmur in a thousand hushed whispers around her. As if in that one moment, there is many lowly murmured voices, all fighting to be heard, to be chosen. And then out of the swarm of murmurs- there is one- clearer, stronger than all the others. It grows in volume, becoming clearer, and it seems as if the other voices fade away into nothing immediately before it, while this one grows stronger, louder-_ _ **'Oh? Is that all?'**_ _It states curiously, **darkly** \- and then before she can grasp it- it changes. It becomes a bright, merry voice, speaking as if with a smile- '_ _-But that is not true. After all-'_ _-there is a peal of bright, childlike laughter that makes her shudder. ' **I** am here.'_

 _"Y-You?" She questioned softly, hesitantly. Her eyes are cast around the darkened gloom, as she turns on her heel again, surveying the night and the dark dim of the forest around her. But...there is no one there. There is nothing but herself, and the dark far flung shadows of the trees encircling the meadow. "A-And w-who…W-Who a-are you?" But this time she is rewarded with silence- there is no response, no answer. She casts her eyes around, curiously, wordlessly- but there is nothing. Is she dreaming? Is this real? But she turns- and finds him._

 _The boy suddenly standing before her startles her with his nearness, so that she gasps, stumbling backwards, away from him. His small stature mirrors her own- but his wild hair is bright and gold, a beacon in the shadowy dark. He smiles a pleasing, toothy grin. He has large, bright blue eyes, skin bronzed by a midday sun. She gasps anew at the sight of his eyes as if they have robbed her of breath, cowers shyly for a moment away from the startling clarity of them, and the intensity with which they stare without fear into her eyes. In the dark she could swear he glowed- the night wind around him feels hazy, warm...but his form- seems to waver- like a mirage, like a far off vision...but maybe...she is imagining it?_

 _"W-Who…w-who are you?" She mumbles out quietly in shock, not understanding in this moment fully the reality of what she has done- but he only smiles._

 _ **He** knows._

 _"See? Didn't I tell you? You're not alone." His eyes are warm, inviting. His smile is soft, gentle. It surprises her, one unused to either attention or affection, startled by the warmth she finds in the depths of bright blue eyes._

 _"I'm here. And I've been waiting for you." He states clearly, in a voice unlike any she has ever heard. It is startling in its strength, its confidence. It is filled with something she does not have, has never had- resolve. Everything he says, he says as if it is absolute truth. It is overwhelming, all encompassing- the brash, unforgiving strength of his being that she can feel, as if it is coming from his form in waves. She believes him in this moment. She believes completely that he has been waiting for her and her alone._

 _"And I'm your_ _friend aren't I?" He murmurs cheerfully, the words said easily, his smile blindingly bright. She stares at him in wide eyed fascination and wordless awe. His whole face brightened with the force of his grin, as if he were lit from within. In this moment he seems to her a dazzling, otherworldly creature, one far removed from the cold blandness of her own existence. In this moment- she is star struck, surprised that such a bright, powerful being- was talking to her with such fondness._

 _"M-My…f-friend?" She states with some difficulty, her brow crinkled with confusion and disbelief, still trying to place, to understand the odd boy and his connection to her. She knew even in her youth that she was not worth much, that her value has already been measured and marked as insufficient. But the boy before her is blinding, dazzling with promise. It seems to her that already she is unworthy, that already she had done him some disservice by keeping herself in his company. But for the first time...she feels as if she is finally, truly being seen. To others she was a frail slip of nothing, an odd child easily overlooked, easily forgotten._

 _But in this moment, for the first time- she feels as if he sees her, as if he knows her..._ _But she has no answer. She is too young to understand, to fully articulate the depths of these complicated feelings. What it is she needs to ask, what it is she needs to say- she is too young to realize the truth of this moment._

 _B_ _ut **he** does._

 _"Yes. Your friend."_ _ _He states fondly._ "I came here just for you." And slowly he reaches for her hand, and takes it in his own. He grabs her hand easily, so gently it is as if has always done it, as if he always will. Their hands fit together with such completeness that she does not hesitate to grasp it back. She does not think. It is the most sublime, otherworldly feeling she has ever known- that single moment when his hand grasped hers. It was as if before he touched her he had been merely a shadow, a hauntingly bright visage, a dream she had been dreaming all of her life. But the moment he touched her hand- she felt the reality of his warmth, his touch, solidifying in her own. It was in that moment- for her- that he became real. _

_"A-Ano...m-my n-name is...H-Hinata." She states quietly as she surveys him, compelled, bewitched, transfixed, by the storm brewing in blue eyes._

 _"Oh! I know." He states with another wide, blinding smile. "And what is mine?" He asks her carefully, gently. Again she is transfixed, in awe of the swirling storm in his eyes. "Y-Your...n-name?" She asks him quietly, confused by the question he has placed before her. "Well yeah!" He states with another bright smile. "I do need one don't I?" He adds with a laugh._

 _"So tell me Hina-chan- what is my name?" He asks her again, gently, more coaxing than before. She does not think to wonder at the oddness of his inquiry. She does not think to wonder why he has no name of his own. She does not think to wonder why he asks her- she thinks of none of those things. Suddenly it comes to her in this moment, makes its way to the forefront of her mind, as if it has always been there. His name. As easily as if she had said it a thousand times before._

 _"Y-You...Y-you a-are...Naruto." She states quietly, suddenly. His gaze grows thoughtful at this, curious- he purses his lips, scrunching his brow in thought- before abruptly he smiles again, humming pleasingly beneath his breath. "Hmm? I like that! I really like it!" His voice is boisterous, joyous with pleasure. Against herself, she feels the heat rise to her cheeks, somehow happy that he is pleased. But even so, not even once does she stop to think-_

 _"It's a good name isn't it?" He added, and she could only nod dumbly, hurriedly in reply. It fits him, somehow- the wild mane of gold, the rough warmth of his hand- the bright light in his eyes and the odd marks on his cheeks. But he smiles, throwing to the night wind all thought from her mind, dispelling all of her concerns, all of her childish fears with absolute ease. He squeezed her hand in his own. His grip is warm- comforting in its strength._

 _"Well come on Hina-chan! Let's go play."_

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 _And she- had followed him then._

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 _And in many ways...she had been following him ever since._

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 _[Oh Mother...can you hear me?]_

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 _[I did as you bid of me. I went. And...I...spoke.]_

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 _[But oh Mother...I...I didn't know it then.]_

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 _[That what I would find...was no angel.]_

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 _[It was-]_

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The callous strength of his smile.

"My cute little Hina-chan- you were such a _darling_ then weren't you? Poor girl who didn't have anyone in the world to call friend. You didn't know.. you _couldn't_ have known then- but you know now don't you? Hopefully all of those long winded windbags at the Academy have been good for something eh? What of them? All of those _lessons?_ Those private _tutors?_ Haha! Really makes me wonder! How many times has your father told you _this_ one before?" He pauses suddenly in the midst of his cheerful words, abruptly making his face stern, solemn as he opens his mouth and _says-_

 _"-You must steel your heart. You must strengthen your resolve._ _So that we will not fall prey to the same weaknesses, so that we will not succumb to that far reaching darkness that lingers at the edge of the world between our realm and-_ **_them."_** \- it is the voice of her father. Curt. Cold. Filled with that same callous disinterest, that same icy distance. As if there were an entire world between them.

In this moment she is standing before him- acutely aware of the blood coursing through her veins, the goosebumps, the _heat running down her spine._ And there is the same familiar sickness, the same weakness, the same unexplainable longing. He _knows._ As he always does, as he always will. She feels fully the agony of her torment. She is sick with horror, with fascination, with the realization once more that this between them _is-_

"It's almost funny...don't you think Hina-chan?" His smile is mocking, taunting now. Cold with power, the understanding of a being who saw the world before him as nothing more than a passing amusement. She doesn't think he means to show so much of himself so soon, but it was one of the faults that he had taken from her. He was always a little too eager now, a little too excited, a little too brash-

"They really think they know _so much_ about _everything_ don't they? All of those stupid _reports! Texts! Rumors!_ " She had never considered the absurdity of it until this moment, never considered the reality of how it must have been for him, how laughingly pathetic it all must seem to him- but he seems to enjoy it, his own taunting words.

"In their cute little white walled Academy- teaching their cute little lessons. They really, honestly, and truly believe that they understand anything at all! When they couldn't even begin to imagine! _Oh Hina-chan."_ He turns to her again, petulantly, pouting as if she were trusted confidant, as if she were the only one who could understand him, could understand _this._

"In the end...they don't know much at _all_ do they? Don't you think it's funny Hina-chan?" She stares sightlessly, wordlessly into those laughing blue eyes, the ones she had dreamed of all of her life, and had always adored.

 _"-Here I am!_ In plain sight. And the _only one_ who knows...is one who will not speak." His voice grows gentle, fond, sweet again- as he cast that same far flung gaze over her. It is one of the few he has reserved for her and her alone. Back then- she had not understood it. And even now, after all of this time, she still does not. Is it _pity_? Is it _sorrow_? Is it _understanding_? Is it... _love?_ She cannot decipher it, cannot fully grasp nor answer the question always there on the edge of his gaze. But his gaze is soft, haggard, almost pained when it finds hers.

But the truth is it is something far more frightening, something deeper, darker than all others. Something she dares not think of, dares not acknowledge even when he had already told her once. It is something far more complicated- or maybe far more simple. It is _Desire-_

"...And if she spoke who would hear her? Who would hearken to her voice? In the end...she knows that I am the only one who is listening. She knows that I...am the only one who will answer. The only one that can comfort her. But ah... _she_..."

His gaze delicately, fondly, traces the outline of her form, with a heat that she cannot match, refusing in this moment to acknowledge it. His expression is curious. It is open, pained in a way she could not understand. There is a look of sweet, bitter agony etched into the lines of it. In this moment he truly seems to be all that he claims to be- that the sweetness of the words written in the book had promised her. His rugged cheeks are flushed, warm, his blue eyes tormented. "N-N-Naruto-kun..." She stammers out, cut to the core by the pained expression on his face. She feels her own face flush, burn with something far too potent to be shame. _'Again- the truth is-'_ "S-Stop it- y-y-you k-know t-that y-you c-can't mean t-that. Y-You d-don't-" She cannot finish it, cannot finish the bitter thought- abruptly- she wants to cry again, to scream again. "Y-Y-You are t-trying to c-confuse m-me...a-again- y-you are j-just t-telling me what I w-want to h-hear. T-Those w-words are n-not y-yours- they a-are-"

But he stops her, with a drop of his head. And with a breathless, quiet murmur that makes her heart pound- "Oh _Hina-chan_...you still...think that huh? Didn't I tell you? You are the only thing I want. If I could be for even a moment the one you had longed for, had waited for...if I could _truly_...just be the boy you loved so deeply, and the boy who loved you...for you my cute little Hina-chan, _for you_ \- the most precious thing in this world- for you I was willing to be whatever you wanted. For you- I didn't mind pretending. _If it was for you-_ "

-It is with unabashed adoration with which he lovingly traces the outline of her delicate pink lips. He licks his own as he if he wants to taste them. He takes her in, breathes deeply- as if he is basking in the sweetness of her scent. His eyelids droop heavily, lazily, over his darkened eyes- it is a hot, hooded, sensuous gaze. It is gaze that she knows can make her blood sing, makes her feel as if her skin is warming, heating beneath it. For a moment- he just _watches_ her- watches with the same unspoken longing the way the dim light of morning caught in the dark of her hair, brightened the pale pallor of her skin. He _watches_ her. If she were to be honest with herself- the need she knows is there- _frightens_ her. She feels her face flame as she looked away from his eyes- but she can feel the force of them still- _'N-No- y-you c-can't b-believe t-this. Y-You can't trust this- the truth- the truth is-'_ She stammers out the words before all courage, all heart left her- but even so- always- they are too late.

"N-Naruto-kun... I-I t-told you- _I-I'm s-sorry!_ I-I know...t-that I was the one w-who c-called you h-here- t-that I-I was the one w-who g-gave you f-form. But N-Naruto- I s-still... _I s-still c-can't answer you!_ "

She stands there, weak, weary from the force of the words, the pained tormented expression on her face mirroring his own. She watches him anxiously, fearfully- but it's too late. He lowers his head, and golden bangs hides his eyes from her-

 _-_ _and_ ** _He_** smiles.

The air is shifting again. She feels as if her entire form has been cast in shadow, as if she is drowning again- but this time she is wide awake, watching him fearfully with every passing moment. Moment by moment- she feels her blood chill, the very deep, dark essence of her spirit shuddering with revulsion at his closeness. She can feel _**him.**_ Just below the surface, just below the edge of that smile, skirting on the edge of blue eyes- **_is him._** As if _**he**_ is always there, on the edge of her vision, a shadow just out of reach. She fights back the cold edge of panic, of horror threatening to make itself known in her wide eyed gaze- but she can feel her blood chill, as if her blood has turned to ice- feels the goosebumps, the same odd heat, the same odd tremble.

 _'T-This...this is not Naruto-'_ She thinks with the same sickening fear as always.

Not _'Naruto'_ \- the boy she knows, had known, and is still struggling to understand.

Not _'Naruto'_ \- the sweet faced boy from her memory, the boy of the mischievous smile.

Not _'Naruto'-_ the boy who goaded her with his taunts, with his laughter.

Not _'Naruto'_ \- the one she had named.

And above all- not the boy who could gently, easily, take her hand. But that was where she had blurred the line. That was where she would forget, where she would lie to herself, time and time again. She would tell herself that they were not the same, that they could not be the same- because she did not want to think of it, to face it. That _t_ _he truth is-_

She knows he is _'Naruto'_ for her sake and no one else's. He is _'Naruto'_ for _her_ and _her_ alone. Because they both know that she is not strong enough to handle the truth. That had long gone without saying- but as always he has changed his mind again, in that same reckless way as before. She can see ** _it_** again- how the blue of his eyes bleeds red. How _**his**_ gaze, _**deepens, darkens-**_

 _ **"Oh Beloved...despite everything...you refuse to see me, refuse to acknowledge me. I am...what I am. For you. And haven't I told you? It's already too late. They...tried to warn you. They tried to caution you. They tried to stop you. But in any form, I am here. And I...am yours."**_ She can't breathe. _She can't breathe._ She is sick with horror, remembering once more her weakness, her failings. It is _**his**_ voice. No longer the lilting, jaunty, joyous voice of the boy she has loved, and still does. This voice is from the blackest of pits. This voice is meant for darkness, for agony, for torment. This voice was meant for things far beyond the scope of her imagination, her understanding. This voice- _is sinful._ She shudders, trembles at the barely concealed threat of it. The threat and the _promise._ _'Oh Mother-'_ He speaks as if he wants to devour her whole, as if there is nothing sweeter, nothing more beautiful than the look of absolute horror on her face as he takes one languid step towards her. ** _"Too late! Too late!"_** Through a bitter smile laced with fang. This is Naruto no longer. This is the reality of her deepest, darkest fears, standing before her, drawing near to her with the blazing heat of his skin-

 _ **"Your first mistake- was answering me."**_ He stated as he circles her slowly, dangerous slowly, taunting her with the overwhelming heat that wafted from his form, as if the very air around him _burned._ There is a scent- like sulfur, like ashes, like flame. Her blood is ice cold- but she can feel the sweat beginning to form on her skin, matting her bangs to her forehead, curling the small damp tendrils at the base of her neck as he skirted through her shadow.

 _ **"Your second- was giving me a name, giving me a form. Giving me an anchor to this world."**_ The markings on his cheeks deepening, darkening, jagged like old wounds. She feels as if every ounce of her body is a tremble, is ablaze- _'Mother-'_ She wants to cry again but _cannot_ , wants to scream again but _cannot_ , wants to run again but _cannot_ \- even though she can feel _**him**_ -

 _ **"And your third-** **Well you know that one now eh?"**_ She swallows harshly, the cold lump of fear lodged in her throat. Back then- s _he had never checked his shadow._ But he lets her see it now, in the dim rays of morning as he stops before her, revealing the tall, proud lines of his back. He finally, truly- let's her _see._ Her eyes lowers hesitantly, with a quiet dread, a potent and intangible horror, to the ground beneath her feet.

 _And there it is_ -coming to life beneath her- the shadow of a man- _shifting, morphing_ \- revealing fully the massive, towering pitch black form she has always feared. It covers the entire meadow in darkness, blacker than the space between the stars. She feels as if she is standing, stranded in a sea of shadows.

It is a black beast made of nightmare, of something so foul and unspeakable that she can neither give it place nor name. It is the shadow of a creature she could have only imagined in a fantastically horrific dream- a creature made from pure darkness- stunningly beautiful almost, in the extent of its abomination. One moment it appears almost wolflike. In another, there is the whirling, serpent like shadows of tails, being cast wildly against the walls of the forest- and there is the open, wickedly fanged, grinning maw of the beast as it _smiles-_

 **" _Oh Hina-chan_...I have had many names."** He admitted truthfully to her. The weight of the words hangs there, darkly, between them. She cowers before him in this moment, frightened of all that had still gone unsaid. " **But _yours_ …"** -sharp blue eyes flash in the dark of the morning. _**He smiles.**_

 **"None has ever been as precious to me as yours."**

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 _AN: A little more of the story unfolds..._

 _I am very excited about where this is going, and can't wait to unveil more in the next few chapters. Hope you all are enjoying the journey as well. Again if anyone knows a good beta reader, it would be greatly appreciated as I can tend to be unnecessarily long winded. And I enjoy hyphens far more than I should, bugs my english prof to no end haha. Also thanks so much for all of the follows, favs and reviews! please don't hesitate to send tell me what you think, I enjoy reading you guys thoughts. See you all next week._


	5. I Call You BeLoved

_[I Call You Beloved]_

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She flees from him as if his parting words had burned her and set her aflame. She runs as if the world is falling too pieces all around her, as if she has no other choice but to run from these things as she always has and always will.

The haunting notes of his laughter follows her into the deep dark of the forest as she flees. He does not chase her, does not seek her. But those deep hooded eyes follow her long into the gloom of the forest. He is not one to chase, even though she knows that he could catch her in the span of a breath. She is conscious of nothing but the ferocious pounding of her heart, the ragged gasps of her breath. In this moment she runs from him without thought, conscious of nothing but a bitter, restless fear. It is not _Naruto_ that she fears, that makes her blood chill and her draw breath in pained, ragged gasps. She does not run from blue eyes and the comforting sound of his laughter. She runs from that dark shadow. She runs from that creature made of nightmare and shadow, with eyes that burned like hellfire. She runs from _**him.**_

 _'That wasn't Naruto! It was **him** \- it was **him** -!'_ She could only think in disjointed moments of clarity in the midst of her frantic fear. Such _power!_ \- darkening the sky of the mid day morn, throwing a pitch black shadow of nightmare beneath her feet, making everything within her cry out in horror, in revulsion. She cannot begin to understand the depth of this wild, breathless, all consuming terror that has grasped her. More potent than the reminder of her father's disappointment, more scarring than the reminder of his cold cruelty, his bitterness- this is far beyond her.

She runs even when she knows he will not harm her, that he will not, cannot. She runs without shame, without thought even though she knows that _Naruto_ would never hurt her. For the promise, for the vow- he would never so much as harm a hair on her head. But nevermore could she allow herself to forget or forgive the flash of those fangs, giving her a wicked grin. Or the deep, dark, of those eyes the color of flame and hellfire. The dark shadow of the beast as it _smiled_ \- _'A-And those…were not N-Naruto's eyes. Those eyes-'_

She cannot bear to think of it, to dwell on it. She wants to run from it with everything inside of her. Skirting the underbrush, ignoring the way the wind seeming to whistle mockingly in the trees, every bird song telling a bitter tale of her own foolishness. _She had known._ She had _always known_ that beyond the blue eyes of the one called Naruto...there was...something else. Something dark. Something restless. Something formless and bitter. Something old and monstrous.

' _If I were to probe the darkness lurking behind those eyes…would I…go mad?'_ She had seen it for herself. There it had been in all of its harsh, unforgiving reality, in its truth. The monstrous shadow beneath her feet. She fought back a wave of nausea, of horror, closed her eyes against the harsh bitter tears that threatened to choke her. _**Silly Girl! Foolish Girl! Coward!** She had always known!_

 _'But why- why after all this time-!'_ She thought with a pained, sick fascination, seeing again and again the moment the shadow of the man had darkened, had grown, and become that which had lingered in the dark of her nightmares from the time she had first asked herself about the boy called Naruto. Why after all these years…of his taunting words, of long held glances, of the fleeting warmth of his touch and the echo of his laughter? Why in this moment… had he said so much, reminded her so completely of their truth.

He had seemed content to let her wonder, to watch her lie to everyone and to herself. He had seemed to enjoy the pained, agonized look on her face, the way she had so completely pushed the truth deep down into the depths of her being. He had played along with her, had helped her keep the charade perhaps for her own sake. He had never pressed her before, had never reminded her. He had never once spoken to her with such _darkness_ , such desire and passion flitting through his eyes like banked embers just waiting to erupt into a unforgiving blaze. She remembers the mocking edge to the sound of his laughter.

]Maybe it had all amused him- watching her _lie_ , watching her _hide._ Trying so hard to be obedient, to be faultless, to be the perfect heiress that her family expected and wanted. Maybe it had amused him to see her go out of her way to keep a respectable distance between them, to try and keep things cordial. To willingly forget the secret vow between them. Maybe that was why he had sought her so insistently, and teased her so unmercifully.

 _'Here I am.'_ His laughing blue eyes seemed to say as he watched her squirm, speaking a language that only she understood. _'For you-'_ But she hadn't dared acknowledge it, had been too frightened to speak of it, to think of it. She staggered to a halt, her body trembling with exertion, her skin gleaming faintly with sweat beneath the dark over hang of the trees. She sucked in a gasping, shuddering breath as she collapsed against the warm, worn bark of a willow tree. Her thoughts are disjointed, fragmented. Everything within her feels as if it is being thrown asunder. Again- she imagines she can hear the echo of his laughter through the wood- how often had they played together here? How often had it become a place of wonder and joy for her- because he had taken her hand? Together they had explored its tangled depths, climbed trees and skirted the underbrush. And he would say-

 _["Behold the beautiful princess! All make way for Hinata-Hime!" He had laughed once long ago, as they had played in the dark of the forest. Seating her on her throne, the ruined remains of a fallen tree. A badly woven crown of flowers adorning the dark of her hair. He had bowed before her with a bright grin, playfully kissing her hands and her slippered feet, reveling in the innocent blush that graced her cheeks. With absolute sincerity, with the utmost seriousness, brandishing a stripped bough as a sword- "And I- Naruto- am your loyal servant! The princess's mighty knight! For Hinata-Hime's sake, I will conquer kingdoms, and slay dragons! For the beautiful princess-" That smile even then, arrogant in its truth. "I will do anything-"]_

She felt sick. She was burning up, feverish with warmth and exertion- but goosebumps were breaking out along her skin as if she were wrapped in a winter wind. She wound her arms around her body, leaned heavily against the comforting warmth of the bark beneath her. She feels the same heavy, restless burden on her heart. The unforgiving reminder that she had loved- did love- that blue eyed boy so deeply, despite all things, despite _knowing._ But he was beyond understanding, beyond reason. She could not forget again, could not lie to herself again. Her thoughts were sobering. _'This…this is all because of me. All because I…selfishly…wished for it. Because I was frightened, because I was weak….because I was such a coward. Because of me-'_

She was the one who had called him here. That wonderful, captivating being born from the desires of her heart. She had called him into being, had called him to this world. But he…had not come alone. There had been a price for her selfishness. She had gotten Naruto- her wonderful, inspiring, courageous child hood friend. _'But-'_ She feels her blood chill, ice in her veins. She cannot fathom it again, the dark depths of the shadow she had seen. As if she had been standing over a black pit, darker than the black between the stars.

The being that had came with him…was that horrific, powerful creature, that unspeakable horror. She had felt him in brief spurts, easily forgotten. A dark tint to blue eyes. A veiled word or promise that whispered of more. The lines beautifully written just for her, flitting around the truth. For the first time- he had truly let her see the dark of his shadow. For the first time he had reminded her of the reality of their bond. With her own desires…he was the one that she had given life, had given form in this world.

She had called him Naruto, the boy of the bright blue eyes. The boy who with a glance could make her heart race, who with a word could make her skin flush, who with a touch could make her long for the warmth of his hands. _'But-'-_ she feels her blood chill again, as if she would never be warm again. She feels the very depths of her soul shudder. She hated herself in this moment, hated herself more than she ever had before.

 _'You...are a coward. You wanted to forget so completely. That h-he- on a whim can destroy everything you have ever known. Your precious Naruto-kun-'_ He could set her free or devour her whole. And his laughing eyes never seemed to say which one he wanted more.

The truth was the dark shadow she had seen beneath her feet. She could not forget the heat of her spine, the still visible goosebumps on her skin. She remembered the wild sound of his laughter, the flash of his fangs…and the dark silhouette of that massive beast with nine tails…

She felt sick remembering words of her tutors, her instructors as they had told horrific tales of the creatures that lived in darkness on the other side. Some of his kind…were known for their tailed shadows. And the more tails they possessed...the more powerful they were. She had counted. _'Nine-'_ She thought again with a barely concealed shudder, a sickening tremor.

Many decades ago- the last Arch demon that had passed through had nearly brought an end to the capital…with only four. But nine…was more than enough to destroy them all, to place everything she had ever known in peril. Not just this place. That was more than enough...to set the whole world aflame. If he only _wished_ it- if he ever _once_ changed his mind...there it was, her darkest fear. _What...was he capable of?_ His kind were known to be volatile, violent, senseless creatures. If he ever wished for it- he could have this world. And she- would be to blame for such unspeakable horror, for ushering in a new age of darkness over this land. She would be the one who would be hated, be loathed, be scorned. She would never be able to overcome the weight of that burden, that all had fallen because of her. That burden would break her, would ruin her completely, would shatter her beyond repair. She could never survive, never live knowing that so many had suffered because of her weakness. She was frightened of the reality he didn't want to see, refused to speak on before her.

 _'But...if what he really wanted was to cause such chaos...then why go through all of this trouble? I don't...understand.'_ If he really wanted to see the world burn like the rest of his kind...he would have done it by now. The type of man Naruto was- if he wanted something he took it. If it was worth protecting, he cherished it. If it was worth savoring, he enjoyed it. If he fancied it, he owned it. He was a man of action, a man of power. If he had _truly_ wanted this world...he would have long taken it.

 _'-but…he…doesn't want that. What Naruto-kun really wants…_ '

He had not come to destroy, as most of his kind did. He did not come to conquer. He had not come to cast his power, cruelly against all mortals. The tales of his kind were monstrous, horrific. They had been told how they would possess their summoners, and drive them to madness. Some demons would offer up promises and take the most precious of things in return. Some demons had wiped whole cities from the face of the earth on a whim. Once called to this world, some would settle for nothing less than destruction, chaos, anarchy. And once called to this world…demons could not return their own until they had fulfilled their vow. _'He cannot leave this world until I answer him...but still..._ _Why...would he make friends? Join the Academy?'_ She was not so foolish as to believe he had done it just for her sake. But...

 _'But maybe...Naruto-kun…is different. Maybe he…always has been.'_ She thought of the sound of his laughter through the walls of the academy. The way he would fall asleep head in hand during lectures despite the threat of punishment. How boisterously he would tussle with Kiba in the halls. The width of his smile when he joked with Sakura. His familiar teasing to the stone faced Sasuke. And finally- the way his eyes would find hers. Those searching, laughing, knowing eyes. And the truth he hid behind a smile of mirth, lurking in the depths of bright blue.

...and then…there was the book…she still…didn't have the heart to finish it, to follow those hot, tantalizing words to the end. How would that dark tale end? How could she ever hope to response to words filled with such torment, such agony, such fevered passion and obsession? Those words were filled with many dark promises, of passionate confessions...but... _'That...that isn't love-'_ The thought pained her, hurt her somewhere deep.

If he had truly been like the rest of his kind…she wanted to believe that she could not have loved him as earnestly as she did. She…wanted to believe that if he truly had been a dark, maniacal being like the creatures of legend….she would have the courage, the strength for once in her life to do what she must.

 _'Naruto-kun…is d-different…right? Do I…really believe he is different? Or is it that I…despite everything…don't want to believe that he could be…that he could ever…be evil? B-But…'_ This was foolish. She wrapped her arms around her form, as tight as she could. _'I know.'_ This love could end her. _'I know.'_ Foolishly- she remembered the staggering warmth of his embrace, his skin. His purpose was one far more inconceivable, far more absurd for a being born of such darkness, of such power.

 _What he wanted-_ She could hear it again. See blue eyes burn red- quickly, fleetingly, like a newly kindled blaze. How they had roared to life and then faded away again, back to blue, murky and clouded. The sardonic smile that made its way onto his lips. _"Now that one should be easy! The same thing I've always wanted, the same thing I've always craved." The sound of his laughter. **"You."**_

She gulped harshly. Her. He wanted _**her.**_

She couldn't fight this- she never could. He called to her with something deeper, darker. Called to something slumbering deep down in her being. He called to the very essence of her spirit, her soul. And against herself, against reason, against all rational thought she found she could not stifle these feelings. Tormented- she felt as if she was being pressed on all sides, suffocating beneath an agonizing weight. Their truth. Naruto _wasn't_ human. He had _never_ been human. No matter what skin he choose to clothe himself in for her sake...he had _always_ been a being of shadow, a creature wrapped in deceit, in mystery. For her...he was _'Naruto'_ \- but how many lives had he lived? How many had come before her? To how many others had he sworn a promise, a vow? And how many others...had answered him?

But...she could not deny these traitorous, fickle feelings that robbed her of reason.

As she remembered, foolishly, unwisely, the sweet murmur of his words in that moment when he had wiped away her tears.

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 _On her tenth birthday she was told that when she came of age, she was to be wed to her cousin Neji._

 _At fourteen, Neji was already a boy of strength, of cold, calculated cruelty. He was just like her father. Strong. Proud. Cold. She had acknowledged the decree with quiet acceptance, a passive resignation. She did not have the strength to affirm or deny it. She had merely...bowed her head as she always had. Even then she could feel the stifling weight of it, this burden that was her 'birthright.' She had always been mature for her age, a girl who had long been robbed of any semblance of a normal childhood. Already weighted with impossible expectations, with disappointment. She had always understood completely that this burden was hers to bear, that she was destined to crumble beneath the weight of it. Fighting was futile. Tears were pointless. She couldn't stop this, could do nothing but bare it. Isolated for much of her youth, she had no companions, no friends. Only her father's bitter words and the quiet dismissal of her servants, the cold disdain of her tutors. A wayward child who owned nothing. In the end...he was all she had._

 _She sought him later that evening, searching the dark forest beneath the glow of a full moon._

 _[-'N-Naruto-kun-'] She had called out to him, her voice weary, faint as if she were on the verge of collapse. And he was there- wrapping his arms around her from behind, burying his nose in the short length of her hair. ['I'm here Hina-chan.'] He answered quietly. He always seemed to know, to feel, to understand her. She didn't have to say anything. She placed her palms against him, to feel the warmth of his arms with a desperation she couldn't quite understand. It felt like drowning, like sinking, like he was the only thing keeping her afloat._

 _He took her hand and led her to the wooden throne. She didn't realize she was crying until he had seated her there, just like many nights before. But she was- eyes wide, soundless tears streaking down her cheeks. 'How odd,' She had thought then. She knew crying was pointless. Her father hated such a visible display of weakness. But there they were dampening the throat of her night gown, the cloth in her lap. It seemed as if they would never stop. ['I-I'm sorry.'] She murmured quietly, not sure why she was apologizing._

 _['Naruto-kun-'] She remembered feeling tired, worn. Old. All she wanted was to play with him in the dark of this forest. To feel...normal, to feel free. But...It was hard to speak on the words lodged deep in her being. Such heavy words. ['I-It's...no use after all.'] They were cold tears. Why was she crying? She had known this was to be her fate from the moment she could speak, from the moment her mother had birthed her. It seemed absurd to her in this moment that she had allowed Naruto to ever make her smile, to ever make her happy. Why had let him despite the harsh training, despite her father's bitter commands? It seemed to her in this moment that she was not meant to be happy, not meant to have a childhood filled with mirth, never again meant to laugh foolishly beneath the stars with him. This was the beginning she felt, of something that would chain her for the rest of her life._

 _[-Neji and I-] She choked on the words. [-W-we are-we w-will be- m-m-married-] It was an odd feeling again. Knowing even then, in that moment that nothing was her own. Neither her life nor her fate. Her father…had always taken from her. Her mother. Her courage. Her will. Her right to control her own destiny. He wanted to take everything from her. Every moment it seemed, devoted to breaking her further, so that she would never forget. Over and over again. 'This is your duty. Your birthright.'_

 _In the end, all she had left-_

 _-Were blue eyes, warm hands as they wiped gently at silken skin, drying her tears._

 _[Hina-chan.] Blue eyes are pained, as if her agony caused him grief, cut him to the core. [Don't cry!] But in the same note there was a childish fury, a righteous anger at those who had dared cause her harm. And beneath that- was something else- but as always, he killed it before she could see it._

 _[Don't cry Hina-chan! Those shitty bastards aren't worth your tears!] She blinked in vain, fighting them as he took her hand, finding comfort in the same familiar warmth of it as always. He watches her carefully. His words were gentle, his eyes warm as they sought hers. Imploring her, reminding her-_

 _[I won't go back on my word...you know that…right?]_

 _Gently, earnestly- he leaned forward and placed his forehead against her own. The deep black and bright gold of their bangs intertwining. He breathed in a deep breath, coaxing her to follow. She mirrored him. Breathing in and out. Deep solid breaths, lulling her into a false sense of calm._

 _[Remember…?] He murmured quietly, to the gentle murmur of her breath. She says nothing, pale eyes dropping to fixate on their hands, joined in her lap. Her skin was pale, nearly translucent. His was bronzed, as if he had bathed in sunlight. Already she felt like she was fading away, would grow and fade away into nothing like the shadowy memory of her mother. In this moment it felt like he was the only one holding her, the only thing stopping her from disappearing. She wasn't strong. She wasn't brave. She wasn't anything. But for her...he...was everything._

 _[ I came here just for you. Don't forget that. I had been waiting for a very long time...for the moment when you would call out to me Hina-chan. ]_

 _He whispered the words fondly, a mysterious smile flitting across his face as those blue eyes withdrew to stare deeply into her own. Intently, without blinking they surveyed her. It is a prolonged, measured gaze. She stared back helplessly, fighting the sudden urge to cry again. And quietly, he said-_

 _[For me…It had to be you. No one…no one else would do you know? Hina-chan-] He carefully crouched on his knees before her- and gathered both of her hands in his own. Even then his hands had been rough, worn as if they had lived a thousand lives. His smile was forlorn…but earnest as he gently drew her hands to his lips._

 _[If you only knew Hina-chan! This future of yours has way more paths than you think. Just depends on how you look at it you know? Many things will happen. Maybe they'll be painful, maybe they'll be hard. But you're strong! And I'm here Hina-chan!] That infectious grin, that comforting smile. [And no matter what happens- no matter what I may say, no matter what I may do, everything is for you ok? For Hinata-Hime! So that one day, you will be free."]_

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 _["Right now…eh…I don't expect you to understand. But-! That's…okay. Besides I already know everything you know!?] He smiles but its and odd thing. It is ill matched to the youthful charm of his face, stretching the odd markings on his cheeks. They reminded her of whiskers- she had thought once- almost feline in appearance._

 _[That silly old man hates you, as he hated the one who came before you. Hated her, because he hates himself. Hates himself because- Ha! Well it's actually kind of a funny story Hina-chan! You wouldn't believe it but that old fart's frightened of the shadow he's left behind!_ _One day- you will be strong enough to know, to finally understand. There's alot more to it than I can say- But man…you silly mort-] He stops himself abruptly, his eyes watching her own carefully. But if she thinks anything of it- she says nothing. Her gaze is still impassive and pained. He frowns- whether at her expression or his own words she doesn't know- shaking his head in disbelief._

 _[But people…really use that word so loosely…'truth' when your lives are so fragile, so fleeting- The truth? Ha! That is-]_

 _But he pauses, seems to remember in that moment again that there is a young girl tightly gripping his hands, her eyes still wide and filled with sorrow. But as always they watch him earnestly, carefully. He can see it again, how she struggled to fully understand the weight of his words and their implications. But he can only sigh, squeezing her hands gently in reply._ _Not yet-_

 _[Well anyway…sorry for saying such weird things Hina-chan. I'll just keep waiting until then. I just hope…you won't hate me. Ha! What am I saying?! No- of course not! You wouldn't-]-quietly in half hearted jest, as if to himself, as if he could not even dream of it. [Besides!…they brought this on themselves. None of what is to come…will be your fault. But until that day Hina-chan-"]_

 _Blue eyes brighten and dim in the gloom. He raises his head curiously, his gaze glancing around the forest as if tasting the wind- before his gaze returns to her._

 _[Neji will find us soon. And he's not going to be happy let me tell you!] She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She knew. She had vanished after the announcement, and had neglected to properly excuse herself. Such rudeness was utterly unbefitting of a Hyuuga Heiress. She had not wanted to retire to chamber, could not bear the thought that someone would find her their. She had quietly vanished into the forest to seek the solace of his company._

 _She should have known that someone_ _would come to retrieve her, to return her to her father. She knew his punishment would be swift and merciless. He cared not for her feelings, her resignations. He demanded her cooperation, her obedience and had always received it. To find out how that she had been spending time quietly placing with a boy without the proper lineage or bearing- he would be furious. She was prepared to bare the brunt of his rage- but Naruto-kun-_

 _Her expression was haggard, pained as she sought to gently free her hands from his own._

 _[Y-You have to g-go. If N-Neji finds you h-here...with me...h-he w-will hurt you.] She murmured quietly, her eyes feverishly searching the darkness. How much time did she have left before he found them? Neji was just like her father. He would not let such deceit slide. But he didn't allow her to free herself, his hands gently taking hers before they could escape him. She let her eyes find his once more, surprised by the odd look in them._

 _[Hina-chan…listen...if I leave now...] He paused. His eyes were murky, clouded. [We...will be separated for what will seem like a long time. I'll have to go for awhile ...okay?]_

 _Suddenly there is a erratic, frantic fear that seizes her mind at the thought. She wanted him to be safe- but she realized in this moment- if she were not there to call him, what would happen? Would he vanish? Tightly she gripped his hand, her wide eyes growing panicked, haggard with anxiety. Did he mean she could not see him again? Would not see him again? He couldn't- he mustn't leave her! She was frightened in this moment- if she let go of his hand- would he disappear? Would he return to the nothing from where he had come? Would he-_

 _[D-D-Don't.] Stumbling from her childish lips with a sudden passion. The color flooded her face as she stood, gripping his hands tighter than before. The word is quiet, heartfelt. She couldn't meet his eyes. If she did- she felt like she would break, would start crying again. But she wouldn't be able to stop. The time that they had spent together playing in secret...had been some of the happiest times she had ever known. No matter how late she would sneak out to find him, no matter the heavy pain of fresh bruises from training- no matter how harsh the words of her father, her tutors had echoed in her head…he had always been waiting for her. He would reach out his hand and nothing else mattered._

 _For a moment the always present echo of his smile vanishes completely. In the dark, she misses the look of pained, tormented agony that makes his eyes waver. Red flits behind blue- but he feigns hurt, gripping his heart in childish mockery._

 _[Ugh! No! That's not fair Hina-chan! Making that kind of face! You know I-]_

 _But he stops again, shaking his head. His smile is comforting, gentle as he squeezes her hand back, his face and brow furrowing with thought._

 _[Well…think of it this way Hina-chan!] He added finally, a placating smile. [See the prince has to go build an ivory tower for his princess!] He adds with his trademark grin, and she raises her head, eyeing him inquisitively. [A-Ano...?] she asks curiously, still not understanding the way the sobering moment had shifted. But he only tosses his hair dramatically in reply, releasing her hands to pose confidently, with the same bravado that he had taken on many times before when they had played._

 _[That's right! Just like in your storybooks- I'm going to go build you a white castle on the moon! And a sea of flowers as faaaar as the eye can see. A dress made of stars! And a halo made of sunlight! A world just for the two of us! How does that sound Hina-chan? Then when I'm done I'll come back!]_

 _His words were bold, as he stated them with the same reckless passion as always. Naruto…always spoke of the impossible, of the absurd as if…it could be done. He had always spoke of such outlandish things so easily...and even though she knew they could not be true…she could not help but smile through her tears._

 _[I-I-I...w-wouldn't need all of t-that Naruto-kun…] She added quietly in response to his brash words. And secretly, to herself…'You…would be enough for me. If I could just keep holding your hand…' But h_ _e scoffed at her words, his face crinkling incredulously._

 _[Pfft are you kidding me? You'll have all that and more Hina-chan! After all one day I'm going to be the king of the world, and that'll make you queen of the whole world! So you had better be prepared you hear me?]_

 _He added with a wild bark of laughter, and she found that she could do nothing in reply save smile softly at his words. It was another of their games surely…most of their childish games had revolved around Naruto's consistent belief that he was to be 'king of the world.' She had never paid him much mind before, and had only played along as best as she could._

 _[But- I'll be back is what I'm saying! So don't be sad Hina-chan! By the time we meet again- I bet you'll be even stronger than you are now- and even prettier! So grow up fast okay?]_

 _He had a way of speaking that made her anxious and uncomfortable- considering she was wholly unused to such praise. She had always been referred to as a 'dark girl,' a 'odd girl', a 'gloomy girl'….she had always been considered weak, worthless, spineless….he was the only one…who had ever called her anything else. She can say nothing to the words- she only lowers her head. But secretly…she treasures them. But their is the words of her father again. The prickling disappointment of her tutors and trainers. Always the same look in their eyes of thinly veiled disdain, of contempt. Like she was no good, would never be._

 _[N-Naruto-kun….I'm not…I'm n-not s-strong at a-all.]_

 _He frowned, pouting childishly as he pinched her nose, satisfied with the small squeak that popped from between her lips._

 _[Don't be silly. You're the strongest girl I've ever known. Believe it. Neji, your father, your clan- they want to trap you as they trapped the one who came before you. They want to fill your mind with words that will rob you of hope. So you will want to forget what I have said- but-] His words grow thoughtful, forlorn-_

 _[Just…don't forget me okay? You absolutely can't! One day you may be...scared of me…but…don't hold it against me alright? All that I do- I do for you ok?! Everything! So you have to promise me! Promise me that you won't…ever hate me for it. Pinky Promise!] Fervently reaching out his other hand out to her. She is uncertain of what to say to his words- but nods in reply as together they wrapped the small digits around one another. It was a promise. And as he kept every promise he had made to her- she vowed to do the same. She didn't know then what such a thing would mean. But he gives her a fleeting smile, gentle in its agony._

 _[In the end Hina-chan…I am what I am.]_

 _Sheepishly scratching the back of his shaggy blond head as if to diffuse the somber expression ghosting along the lines of it. 'But what….are you?' She wanted to ask then, but the words stayed on her lips. It came in random bursts. To ask him who he was. What he was. Where he had come from. Where he went when she didn't call him. Why he didn't have a name, had nothing but what she had given him. But it would be many years later before they would rise to the forefront of her mind once more, in a moment just as sublime. And in that moment he would answer her and say that he was 'her friend.' But she knew it was more- so much more._

 _[…But don't forget. I want you to know that no matter what- with every passing moment, with every passing breath- I will, and have always been...yours.]_

 _Staring at him with abrupt wonder and a wordless formless awe. The words have such depth to them that it is almost beyond her understanding. Such heartfelt, passionate words are beyond her-_

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[- _Just as with every passing moment, with every passing breath, you will, and have always been-]_

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 _[-Mine.]_

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 _-and there is the sweetest, most gentle kiss against her lips. She feels clearly for the first time, the last time, the depths of this strange, odd being. She feels for the first time, the strange tenderness with which his lips find hers. It is foreign, strange. He does not close his eyes. She also stares at him in hopeless, formless awe._

 _Blue eyes are soft, gentle in their agony. They understand that it is still…too soon. She does not, cannot understand- not yet- why his smile is fleeting, forlorn as he withdraws._

 _His eyes seem infinite, deep, dark in the shadow of twilight. She thinks in this moment that his gaze is old even though his lanky form mirrors her own. They are not…a child's eyes. The too short boy of ten(?)…with eyes like something old and dying at the bottom of a dark sea. She does not watch his shadow, shifting beneath the moonlight. She is transfixed by the somber blue of his once bright eyes._

 _And then he says the words she could not, would not, ever forget._

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 _[Don't worry. Someday, somehow...I will set you free. That is the promise, the vow that I will make to you. In return...there is only one thing I would ask of you...And that is-]_

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 _And the words were whispered quietly, into the dark between them._

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 _'You are...a fool through and through. You always knew...what he was. You did not...want to face it. You did not...want to accept it. That the boy you loved, that he was really-'_

Sick again at the thought of his shadow, sick at the thought of those eyes the color of hellfire, sick at the thought of that smile filled with fang.

 _'You fool. They were always the same. They were always- one and the same. You knew that..didn't you?'_

The callous strength of his embrace, the staggering warmth that wafted from his skin.

 _'You knew the truth. You knew that- and he knew you knew, knew you wanted so badly to forget. You wanted to pretend, wanted to believe every lie you told yourself…because for you…he was everything you had ever wanted, had ever needed. But in the end he is-'_

 _He was t_ he boy she had _called_ him to be. The boy of the wild hair and blue eyes. The boy who had the strength she longed for, the resolve she lacked. The boy clothed in a wild wind of freedom, of courage, who did as he pleased and lived how he liked. The boy who would always be there, to take her hand, to remind her that despite everything she would never be alone. He was everything she had wanted, had longed to be in the deepest depths of her being. Of course he was. That...was what they did. Show you a beautiful, wondrous dream. But beneath that was the dark echo of a nightmare.

 _'He did not...hide it from you. For all of his words, for all of his taunts-don't forget what he told you. That despite all things- everything...was for you. Remember your promise-'_

The book was still right where she had left it. Remembering acutely, painfully the truth of the words she had found there. It was hard for her...hearing fully...the depths of those thoughts. It was hard for her...to accept the weight of his feelings. The words in their own way...were beautiful, heartfelt. Hinted at the reality of the confusion, the conflict that lurked behind blue eyes. The battle between the man she had made him and the creature he was. They had surely- come from the man, not... ** _him._** But…the words would shift, becoming dark, foreboding… promising, hinting at something she would never be strong enough to bear.

 _'But they are one in the same. And they always have been. There is no line between man and…and…demon.'_

It was the first time...that she had ever admitted it, ever mentioned the word, even in the safety of her mind. But suddenly there it was, resting coldly on her heart, one of the truths she had always known.

 _'Naruto-kun...is a demon. He is not human. He is...your sin. And you are the one who called him into being, who gave him purpose. The minute you answered him…it was too late. Without you…without that vow…he would not have been able to exist in this world. And despite what he says…you know that demons…only know how to take.'_

That was what she had been told her entire life- every word and teaching further testament to that fact. Demons were utterly incomprehensible. They were wild, powerful, chaotic beings. They only knew how to covet, were driven by desire, were quick to anger and came to this world to destroy and conquer. They were far removed from mortal sensibilities, from the mortal range of emotion. Demons could not _'cherish,'_ they could not _'love,'_ they _'desired'_ they _'hungered,'_ they _'craved'…_

' _And both- exist in the same body, the same form. They can not be separated...and you poor fool...did you really think... that if you loved the man so deeply, that the demon would disappear, would cease to exist? Did you really think that if you pretended not to know, that if you refused to acknowledge it, to think of it- that it would go away? That…_ ** _demon_** _of yours_ _…_ ** _became Naruto because you wished for it._** _Beneath the man…is **him.** In the end…you are what you have always been…a coward-'_

 _["Oh Hina-chan!" The same mischievous laugh as always. "Ah! See!? That's why no one else will do._ ** _That's why it has to be you._** _"]_

 _'This…is wrong.' She could feel it again._ Echoing in the dark of her heart, the steady thrum of barely restrained horror, panic. _This was wrong._ The entirety of her existence had been devoted to her clan, to their teachings. Her lineage was devoted to hunting demons, to fighting back against their temptation, their darkness. From the time of her birth to this very moment- everything- had been devoted to that goal. Even though she had yet to complete her training- the same would be expected of her. Had her father not told her? That was her one and only purpose, her reason for being? Had he not warned her- of the cost of such weakness? Had her mother…not paid the price?

 _["You have always put them before yourself, despite how much they have bound you, despite how much they have chained you. Is that…what you want? To wind up just like her? Just like-"]_

Fighting a wave of nausea, of sickness, of that same old pain. Her clan had long been devoted to raising men and women of valor, of strength. Thinking again of Neji, and the sister she had never seen. But what of her? This pale pathetic being that she was? This worthless girl without purpose? Had her father…not long assured her of that? That she was, and would always be…a weakling?

 _[Remembering the warmth of his smile. "You're the strongest girl I've ever known.]_

 _'Am I…really…?'_ Thinking through the same old weight, the same old bitterness. Reminded always of her weakness. How could that be true…when she could not even been capable of keeping one small promise? Despite everything...despite knowing...in the end he had always been the only one who had ever had faith in her. And for the first time- he had wanted to show her, had wanted her to know. And she...had fled from him, her blood cold and a scream stuck in her throat. How...could she have been so callous in that moment? Did she not...know him? Did she not trust him? Did she not...love him? _'But- things are different now- I am no longer a child. And he- how do I know I can believe him, can trust him? Simply because he has not given me an reason not too? But...what can I possible do? It's foolish...how can I...trust the words of a creature like him? How can I-'_ She felt crippled with indecision, torn. She knew this dark tale of theirs would not, could not end well. It was foolish to continue, to believe, to hope-

 _['Didn't I tell you to finish what you started?'] But_ he was right. She had started this. Innocence…was no excuse. Regardless of reason…it was her desire that had brought him here. And despite everything…never once had she truly tried to understand him. Never once had she reached out to him for clarity, for understanding since she had come of age. Since that night long ago when they had made the vow…had she not…turned her back on the dazzling world he had promised to make for her? _Because she was a coward._ She had always been too frightened to face it.

 _'I…was afraid. Now that I am old enough to understand, to fully realize what I have done. That what I did- was wrong. What I did- could end me, could end everything my clan stands for.'_ If they knew- if anyone found out the truth of the boy with blue eyes…she felt sick, nauseous with anxiety, with fear. What would they do? What…would _he_ do? What would become of everything she had ever known? If she finally…gave him an answer?

 _'I…am still afraid. But-'_

Reality was the haggard, pained look in blue eyes.

 _'But his shadow-'_

 _Quietly- remember how much he loves you, has loved you-_

 _'He's a demon- they cannot love- they can only envy, only desire, only hate-'_

 _He waited for you. He came here just for you-_

 _'But why…why me? I…my worth…is not so highly valued. How can he be so willing…to continue to go so far for me?'_

 _You're the only thing he wants._

 _'But that…desire…is not…love…'_

 _Remember his words, written just for you-_

She was tormented by the painful agony of her heart. Hearing again, the echo of his words from a time long ago. _[-Don't hold it against me alright? All that I do- I do for you. Everything. So you have to promise me okay! Promise me that you won't…ever hate me for it.]_

 _'I don't understand you. I never have. I don't think…I ever will. But…no matter what I think, no matter what I believe…I cannot…relinquish these feelings.'_ She could neither refute nor deny them. _'In the end I…I truly…do…l-love him.'_ But she knew it was foolish to expect, to hope, to dream. No matter the face, no matter the form- beneath that bright smile was a creature she could never understand. But- _['Didn't I tell you to finish what you started?' ]_

She sucked in a shallow breath- tossed back her head to stand, immobile beneath the light of the morning sun. _'If I…want an answer… if I want the whole truth…if I want to stop running from it…then I have no choice.'_ Feeling the words settle in her being with a strange trepidation, an anxious, wordless calm.

 _['-And more than anything- you should go shouldn't you? Isn't that what girls live for? The chance to be for even a moment- more than themselves? The chance to experience that feeling-']_ She had to go to him.

In the end…had he not always known how to get her to do exactly as he wanted, had always been able to sway her mind and heart with a flash of his smile? Was it a trait of the man…or the demon, to sway hearts and minds so easily? She didn't know. What she did know…was that she could not let things stay like this any longer. Within a weeks time…her fate would be sealed, one way or another. Whether it would be to her clan…or to him…she did not know.

She had just one more week to give him her answer.

But before that, before everything- she had to go to her Father.

* * *

She flees from him. He watches her carefully, sighs from some deep hidden part of his being. He is acutely aware of the pain of her parting, of how desperately she tears herself away from him. As if…his words have not reached her, have yet to truly reverberate in the depths of her soul, her being. _Fear._ He smiles half heartedly. It is immediate, all consuming. Before him, before the black of his shadow and the weight of his presence, not even she was spared. He had expected it, had prepared himself for the sight of her eyes to go wide and blank with horror, for her lips to tremble, for the sound of her scream to rupture the morning chill.

But she...had looked so surprised. More than fear, more than hate, more than revulsion- she looked...wounded. Hurt to the core of her being, as if he had struck her. He had forgotten how quickly her eyes could fill with tears once you knew how. For many years now, she had only allowed herself to share them in secret, in the dark of her room where she thought none could hear her, letting them drown in her scented baths, smothering her screams wordlessly into her palms. She had hidden them and her pain beneath a soft, hesitant expression. His Hina-chan. She had such a quiet, noble beauty- it irked him to see that timid expression on her face. It was so...pitiful, so forlorn, so lost. Trying so hard to be strong, to be perfect, to be faultless-

It made him smile after her. _'But you don't have to be lost you silly girl. You don't have to be afraid. You don't have to be worried. I'm right here beside you aren't I? I came here for you didn't I? But you-'_ He scoffed, tossing his hands behind his head and casting somber blue eyes to the sky. _'Man these mortals...How odd! How fragile they are!'_

But she always looked wounded now, everything about her soft and timid and filled with hesitation. So unaware of her own strength- denying what he knew still lay sleeping deep in her spirit. _Beloved-_

He wanted to kiss away those tears. Wanted to press his lips gently- against that pale, delicate skin. Drag his tongue lazily against the column of her neck, tasting the sweet scented skin there-

 _'Hmm not yet.'_ He thinks again with another weary sigh, eyes cast to the morning sky. _'Not yet…_ ' There was time again. To think…he thought with a scoff. Time was something he had in such abundance…but how quickly it now seemed to sift through his hands, his fingertips. Here he could not grasp it in his fist and make it do as he willed. Bound as always, by the fickle rules of the world that was far removed from his own.

Here it all passed so quickly…had it not been but a moment ago…when those pale eyes had looked at him with such unabashed adoration, such reverence and awe? When that small hand had gripped his tightly, as if it would never let go? It had been the first time, the last time…that he had wished for time to pass more quickly. _'Hurry.'_ He had thought then- _'Hurry and become the woman you are destined to be. For me. Hurry Hina-chan- grow beautiful, grow strong-'_

She had stood before him, a wondrous creature pale of skin and dark of hair. She…was no longer that small child he had adored. There was no longer the same passing fancy, the same curious desire. He had watched over her carefully- but let her grow without his interference. It would have been _easy_ \- but regardless... she…had become something even more precious, even more beautiful, even more _Beloved_. Despite all things, she had tried her hardest and done the best she could. She had grown well without him. But now it was time. He would coax her into bloom.

 _'Oh Beloved.'_ He thought with a tormented smile. Repeated endlessly, without ceasing, without end echoing in every fiber of his being, deep into the formless black behind blue eyes. _**"How absurd. Ridiculous."**_ The demon laughs as it awakens to this moment, a dark thing of hate and fang and hunger. Eyes burning like a fire pit deep in the earth. _**"Demons were not meant to love."**_

 _'Ha! Cut the shit. Since when have the rules ever mattered to you? We've always done whatever the fuck we've wanted.'_ The man grins widely in reply, now a blue eyed shadow boldly confronting the red eyed creature. _'And you have some fucking nerve. Is she not our dearest? Is she not Beloved?'_ The beast smiles. Red eyes burning, blazing, roaring to life.

 _ **"-Valued above all others, above all things. She is-"**_

 _'-Beloved.'_ The one called Naruto smiles.

 _ **"But not yet."** _ The red eyed creature murmured deeply, lowly to himself. _**"It is not enough yet."**_ Perhaps…his words…maybe she thought them too cruel, too callous? It was shifting again, changing again- the tangled threads of her fate, crossed and interspersed with the black of his own. To bind her, tighter than steel, butterfly caught in the spider's web. It would take nothing to change them, to alter them and pull them towards-

 _'Tsk Tsk!'_ In his ear, the chiding words of the man as he stayed his hand. _'Now you know better than that. You have to mind your manners! That's cheating!'_ He added in jest, with a mocking smile. _'Toying with the lines of fate for everyone else is fair game, but you know Hina-chan is different. We have to be careful! Ee have to be patient. She has to **choose**.'_

A hot flash of impatience, of begrudging consent as the beast stayed the motion. _**"-she cannot continue to run."**_

 _'No-'_ He added with resignation, and placating consent. ' _You're right about that. She…cannot continue to deceive herself, to lie to her heart. Not any longer.'_ The man releases a tortured sigh. _'Oh dearest…'_

 _ **"-to love me…to answer me…you must be able to face me. If you cannot-"**_

 _'If she cannot-?'_ The man asks curiously although the answer is clear to both.

Then murmured quietly, _'No- she may not understand us- but- she will. She has too. If she doesn't….'_

Those laughing blue eyes reveal sobering red, bloodshot and ruined, ancient and weary like something old and dying. In that moment they had blazed, brighter than hellfire but now they were banked embers. _**"If not?"**_ The demon laughs- an odd, mysterious thing- but it does not answer. They both knew the answer.

 _ **"Oh dearest…You are truly…the most precious thing in this wretched world."**_ A fanged smile that is bitter, fleeting. Truthfully- was she not the strongest being in this world? If she but wished it, it would be hers. If she only _desired_ it. Here both man and demon were of one accord. There had been many before her. They had wanted riches, power, prestige, glory, fame. They had granted the desires of all who gave them name, gave them form. And in return those wretched people had paid the price for their greed, their gluttonous envy. Oh yes- there had been many, many before her. Centuries. Men, women- and finally- a dark haired woman with pale eyes.

There had many before her. But she would be the Last.

Naruto smiles thinking of her. _'Oh Hina-chan- I could end it for you, you know? This entire fleeting, trivial world. If you only asked for it-'_

But her heart was not driven by such desires, by neither greed nor ambition, be neither vanity nor arrogance. She…wanted nothing. Had never…believed herself worthy of anything. But tonight- every night until her answer- he would show her a dream, each more glorious than the one before. Each more breathtaking than the one before. Each more beautiful than the one before.

 _"Don't worry. So the lines of her fate are still…complicated. That's fair- we did meddle after all."_ The man breathes a sigh of contentment as he returns to himself. _"She will choose us. Even if she doesn't understand, even if she's afraid, even if she is doubtful- It's our Hina-chan after all! When has she ever...not taken our hand?"_ He added fondly, thinking of the warmth of hers in his own. _"But-!"_ He added abruptly, chiding the red eyed creature lurking in his shadow. _"We can't get to carried away you know? I don't…like seeing Hina-chan like that."_

 ** _'Oh...but it's…wonderful is it not? Absolutely delicious- the scent of her fear- the pale of her skin- the heat that rises-'_ ** That single fleeting moment when she had turned to run, the long rippling length of her hair swinging behind her. It was then. The red eyed creature smiled in the dark. _'_ ** _It would have been easy to catch her, to take her-'_ ** But- it would not have been gentle. It would have been rough, unforgiving, relentless. He would have devoured her whole, tasted the sweet sweat of her skin, smothered her screams with a burning kiss. Marked every inch of that delicate skin with his lips, with such firm, unrelenting mercy that she would have never again forgotten. Imprinting it into every line of her body. _**'Remind her- that w** **ith every passing moment, with every passing breath, she is and has always been-'**_

He could see those pale eyes staring at him helplessly, wide and wounded as they had done so many nights before. Would she have screamed out in fear? Would she have begged for mercy? Would she have spouted curses? Or would she have done as she always had, and simply submitted in silence? She was not capable of hatred, of loathing. _**'-Mine.'** "We would have broken her." _And they both knew this to be true. She would have been scorched to ashes under the heat of his touch. But the dark eyed creature smiles at the thought nonetheless. _**'No- not her- she is strong. She is, after all, the one we have chosen. She is Beloved-'**_

The man had considered it many times before. While he had watched her sleep, blissfully unaware of his presence. It would have been easy to take her, to crawl into the sheets with her and gather her into his arms. To scorch her flesh against his own, to mold their bodies together until there was no end or beginning in a bout of feverish ecstasy. How strange it was sometimes, this traitorous flesh, this form she had given him. Whether she was aware of it or not. He had been given other forms, but none had ever hungered like this one did for her. He did not sleep. He would lay awake on dark nights and think of her.

He had considered it many times before. Considered it while he had lingered, unseen in her bathing chamber, basking in the warmth of her scent. He had considered it when her father had struck her a mighty blow, sending her reeling in agony, again and again in the quiet training room. Where she had smothered her cries, had swallowed the blood in her mouth because as always, all came before herself. Had considered it when the familiar scent of her tears, bitter and forlorn, had lingered in her scent as she had crossed the halls.

The demon had considered it many times before. It would be so easy to scorch this pathetic village to this ground. He could do it in a fortnight, perhaps less if he sacrificed personal enjoyment and amusement for efficiency. The screams of the people reaching high to the heavens, the ground choked with blood. All of those that had wounded her, had pained her, had contributed to her misery and had robbed her of the smile he adored. None were guiltless, none were faultless. All would suffer. Maybe he would start with the Inuzakas. The boy's untempered confidence had always irked him. And he alone caught the way ward glances that he would cast over her while she studied. Tear him limb from limb. Then the Haruno's. That pink haired slut had been nothing short of an eyesore since the very beginning. He'd tear her head from her shoulders. The Yamanaka's would be next. Loud mouthed bitch. Rip that tongue right out of her mouth. Every last one of those lineages that had hunted his kind since the dark ages. It was time to put an end to them, time to rob them of their unmerited sense of importance. Everyone that had lived in joy, in peace, while she had quietly suffered. There would be nothing left but a sea of ash and cinder.

He would save her clan for last. And he would enjoy them. One by one, until not a single one remained. He would devour them whole, bite by bite. Tooth and hair and flesh and skin. He would dance wildly in the flames of the white walled academy, let them try their hands in vain at slaying him. Laughing at their feeble attempts. For he was infinite. Red eyed creature made of dark and shadow. He was without beginning or end, a formless creature born of darkness.

But there was her face again across the empty, cutting through centuries of bitterness, of hatred and rage. Pale sentinel, forlorn creature, a delicate wisp of a girl. He imagined the look on her face. Pained. Tormented. Agonized. The man speaks.

 _"No."_ Firmly. _"We promised. Not to go back to those days. I don't…want her to hate me. If she hates me...none of this no longer has meaning. If she were to hate me then..."_ It does not need to be said. The red eyed creature grows somber again, begrudgingly withdrawing back to the darkness. They know.

 _' **T** **he Book-'** "Yeah."_ Softly. _"She knows. She's read it for herself."_ A sardonic smile. _"But who would have thought neh? That demons were capable of poetry? Of honesty? To think that these silly feelings would actually be useful?"_

 _"And she…"_ Remembering acutely, the warmth of the sun in the dark of her hair, brightening the pale orbs, ghosting along delicate skin. He hummed hungrily under his breath at the sweet of her scent again. The anxious trepidation, the hesitation always laced through the lines of her form. But the red eyed creature murmurs darkly in the depths of their being-

 _ **"But if we would but taste her- imagine how wondrous, how absurd, how beautiful, how sublime- the moment where beast and mortal intertwine to taste the flesh of she- imagine, imagine- the sweet of sweat stained skin- the muted murmurs of half hearted gasps- the heat that makes her skin warm shamefully, traitorously-"**_

The man stops him again, reminds him. _"Maybe they're right huh? Those mortals. Maybe we cannot love. Maybe we cannot cherish or protect. But we...love Hina-chan...Don't we?"_ The demon is quiet for a moment, skulking in the man's shadow, a black beast of darkness thrown across the clearing.

 _ **'Without her- it is back to madness. Back to darkness. Back to that unforgiving world without hope or dreams. Back to centuries of bitterness, a millennia of misery, of hatred and agony. Of blood and torment. A eternity without her-'**_

 _"I know."_ A placating smile as he cast blue eyes to the sky. _"Enough of all this gloomy talk. It'll…be fine. I'll make her understand. With all of the time I have left in this world. I'll show her something amazing. Of what the world could be, of what it will be if she would only take my hand-"_ The red eyed creature murmurs again-

 _ **'Act quickly. They are coming to this place. They feel the echoes of my shadow here- and they will come to test it's strength. From the darkness…they will come…from the pits…they will come. Because I have risen here-'**_

The man scoffs, a boyish smile of mirth and strength. _"Don't worry about it! Geez have a little faith in me why don't you? I've done a damned good job thank you very much! Although I bet those silly hunters eyes would cross if they knew a demon hasn't attacked the capital in years because I've been here! Granted that last one did manage to narrowly escape from between our claws…_ " He sucked his teeth in annoyance. _"Tsk! And of course it had to be that damn snake! Whatever. Whoever called him had better make sure I never catch him slithering anywhere near Hina-chan."_

 _ **"-Let him have as much as he likes. Soon-"**_

The dark shadow contemplates him, this creature she has created from him, more boy than man, more flesh than spirit. The one called Naruto laughs aloud, with the arrogance that comes with power. It's the man again, speaking boldly, brashly with confidence as he speaks to the dark shadow.

 _"Ha! Just let them come. This is pretty fucking funny isn't it? Who knew demons could want to protect, to cherish? But we will protect this place for her sake. And what does it matter anyway? In one week this will all end right? Her fate and the fate of this world. Let us enjoy ourselves! Let's have fun! For all the time we have left- let us enjoy this fickle world in full!"_

* * *

 _AN: Been awhile, but here you have it._

 _Maybe this was confusing to read, I apologize in advance it made sense in my head. I was trying to show that Naruto and the 'creature' (who I imagine we all know by now) are fairly intertwined. They exist in the same body- but are separate entities. More detail to come in a later chapter, but in case anyone has missed it, the creature/demon 'becomes' whatever it needs to be for the one who calls it. Hinata was searching subconsciously for her polar opposite and got Naruto. Much of the remaining conflict will be over whether or not she can accept the fact that despite appearances, at his core her 'Naruto' is a crazy yandere demon thats obsessesed with her haha and on Naruto's side if he is truly capable of love_

 _PSA this isn't M for nothing folks_


	6. What I Will Do

_Oh Beloved._

 _This is only the beginning dearest. The beginning of an end we have both seen coming, an end much like the beginning. It will start and end with the void, with the empty from where I came. If that is the path you choose...then that is the one we shall tread, hand in hand, together into the abyss._

 _It is coming- something beautiful, something wonderful, something all consuming and relentless. This end. It will come as it always has, as it always will, as it must. And here I am waiting with arms outstretched, for you to hearken to me. How I long for the moment when I will hold your warmth close to the chill of my blood. How I long for the moment to finally, finally- taste you with my lips. Dearest! Beloved! My voice will grow wild with laughter, with triumph, with joy! How this dark heart will swell, filled with nothing but thoughts of you! How could it be Hinata? How can I long for you anymore than this? How can I hunger for you anymore than this?_

 _But that moment- how I long for that moment!_

 _When I will take you._

 _When I will have you._

 _And finally- finally!- you will have me._

 _So let me ask you once more...Dearest...Beloved..._

 _Are you prepared?_

 _Have you steeled that fragile, fickle heart of yours?_

 _Have you strengthened your resolve?_

 _Do all these things...and wait for me, as I have waited for you. Wait for this end I will give you, this answer you have longed for since you first drew breath. Because the time is coming to lift the veil, to see clearly the fruits of the seed you have planted. Fruition- The time is coming to bloom beautifully, wonderfully, as I knew you would, as I knew you could._

 _The time is coming. Day by day. Hour by Hour. Minute by Minute. Second by Second. The moment I have been waiting for, since the time I came from the darkness and first held your hand in mine. I'll show you a dream till then. A beautiful, wondrous, magnificent dream. Everything I ever promised you- you shall have all that and more. Fret no longer, agonizing in the dark of what I will do._

 _Trust that no matter what, it will all be for you._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

She stands before the large oak doors of his study.

She sucks in a deep breath, trying as always to calm her rattled nerves before she enters. Thinking once more, of the words she knew needed to be said- but still- unable to grasp them. _'Be strong.'_ She releases another shallow breath, wondering at the chill running down her spine. She imagines she feels him, and the echo of his laughter, ghosting through her shadow. She shudders, feels the goosebumps breaking out along the bare skin of her arms. _['Are you afraid Hina-chan?']_ There was a special sing song way he would say her name, the way he would roll his tongue over the words just enough to make her shudder. _Hina-chan._ He was the only one who addressed her so casually, so familiarly, as if he knew her well. He always said it with confidence, as if he was the only one who owned the right to call her by that name, as if it belonged to him. And as if- by extension- so did she.

She can imagine the way his brow could furrow, his expression turning into one of nearly comical confusion. _['Eh? But why?!]_ But she knew how quickly it could shift, how quickly his expression could transition from one of boyish charm to something else. Something smug- overwhelmingly brash and confident in its power. He would pierce her to pieces with the blue of his eyes, scorching her with that bright, knowing smile that she knew so well. _[C'mon now Hina-chan! Don't you remember? As long as I'm here- as long as I'm yours- there is nothing between heaven and earth that you need fear-]_

 _"Hinata-Hime."_ There is the icy chill of his voice rupturing the dangerous edge skirting in the dark corridor of her mind, following the one running down her spine. She turns quickly to find him there, his tall proud form coolly assessing her. For a moment- the sudden sight of his form stuns her. There are times when the similarities between their appearances seems almost striking. Sometimes his face feels as familiar to her as her own- if his expression were softer- or if hers was colder, was harsher- they could easily have been mirror images of one another. Perhaps it is not so strange in the end- their blood was pure, strong and true. Perhaps such a thing was not so uncommon. But all of that rises and passes in a moment she dares not articulate.

She has been standing, motionless before those ornate doors, pale hands wringing themselves painfully before her. She knows she must appear a specter, her pale eyes hinged with shadows, an icy pallor to her skin. She...felt exhausted, as if her sleep had been fraught with nightmares and intrusions. She couldn't- get warm. There was a chill she couldn't shake, that nearly makes her teeth chatter. It is a restless anxiety, an unfounded fear. ' _No...not unfounded...'_ She thought with another untimely tremor as once more she could see the black of his shadow, spread before her.

"N-N-Neji-san." She manages to stammer out half heartedly in reply, hurriedly giving him a bow in greeting. He does not return the gesture with one of his own. "Hinata-Hime. I trust you are well. You did not attend morning meditation." He stated curtly, his face always one of cold condescension and accusation no matter whose company he shared. She was no exception.

She swallows harshly, her eyes finding their way to the floor as they had done countless times before. "Ah…p-pardon my r-rudeness…I j-just...went t-to m-meditate alone. I d-did not l-leave the estate."

His sharp gaze assessed her carefully, probing her intently for any sign of deceit, but she kept her eyes far removed from his gaze. His cool eyes stripped her, assessing her with that calculated superiority for which he was known. Before him she felt naked, exposed- suddenly ashamed at the way her lips trembled and the heat found its way to her cheeks. Even his gaze was sharp and pointed, filled with unspoken accusation.

She wondered if he gained some pleasure from watching her fidget nervously before him. But finally- "Good. That would have been foolish." He stated, pleased perhaps to find nothing amiss about either her demeanor or appearance. He did not mean the words to bite as much as they did, but they cut her nonetheless. "Perhaps you have heard. There has been much speculation that some wayward demons have crossed through this area. It is probably baseless garbage- that would be nothing short of foolish to do so so close to the capital- even for the most ill tempered of creatures. All of the most powerful lineages hail from here. I find it hard to believe any creature could be so short sighted." He continued, his tone still filled with the smug arrogance that could only come from one consistently assured of his own prowess.

"Nonetheless…it is best to be careful. You are still too far behind in your combat training to ever hope to be able to handle such danger by yourself...if rumors prove true. But just because it seems implausible does not mean such a thing is impossible. At any sign of danger, you know to either seek me or shelter."

 _"Ah-y-yes…"_ His words…were not meant to wound but they always seem to cut deeply to the heart of her fragile being. They were words she had heard countless times before. _'You are foolish. You are weak. You are-' [_ _You're the strongest girl I've ever known.]_ But he- had said the words with such conviction. As if they were and had always been true. As if she were truly-

"…I did not mean to deter you. If you are here to speak to the Clan Leader, you may proceed. He is within. There is a matter I would like to discuss with him as well." Neji continued, rupturing her thoughts as he motioned to open the massive ornate doors before them. They swing open silently and he proceeds her, so that she is forced to walk in his shadow as they enter. She follows anxiously in his wake, her restless gaze drifting to her father.

He is standing before the cold panes of the wall length window. As always, he was solemnly surveying with cold disinterest the land of his estate spread out before him. In all ways her father was a imposing figure. Broad shouldered, dark haired, with eyes the color of a frosty sky. His expression was always unyielding and rigid, cold as if he had been born with ice in his blood. Within is silence- save for the somber ticking of the clock on the mantle above the cold ashes of the immaculate fireplace.

For as long as she had lived these two things had never changed- the cold lines of her father's back before her, and the ticking away of the odd clock on his mantle. She had always thought it beautiful, the dark wood from which it had been carved, black as pitch. It was...an odd thing. In this house of rules, of commands, of decrees and absolutes- it alone defied any and everything. It did not seem to tell time. By any account it seemed broken. It would at times move forward, others would show it going backwards- but without fail it was always wrong. She wondered why he kept it, a man who had easily tossed useless and broken things to the side so many times before with out thought or care. He was a man of such absolutes- that it had always seemed unusually striking that when it came to this...he allowed it. She did not know what significance it had for him...and she always been too frightened to ask. Even now her eyes skim it briefly, anxiously- before her gaze returns to her father.

She bows before him, meekly, with the same quiet, unspoken awe as always. "Lord F-Father." She addresses him respectfully, not surprised to find that he makes no motion to turn and acknowledge her.

"Hmph." He stated gruffly to her greeting, his cold eyes staring out with focused intensity out over the landscape. Against herself, against the decision she had already decided upon- the words settle in her throat as if they were lodged there. "L-Lord F-Father…" She begins again, gulping harshly, feeling her hands fist into the material of her skirt. "A-Ano-"

"You will state your request clearly and directly, or you will not speak to me at all." The chill of his words whipped her into anxious silence. Her lips begin to tremble, feeling the same cold distance between them as always. Miles and miles of unsurmountable distance. _"I-I-"_ As if the sight of her struggle is one he was already weary of, Neji steps forward, cooly cutting her off with that same cold edge of command. Whether he does this to aid her and spare her further embarrassment in his presence- or to hinder her request- she does not know.

"Clan Leader." He begins, and the man turns his head briefly, assessing him with a look of cold acknowledgement. But nonetheless it is more…then he has ever given her. Neji continues, his voice curt but powerful- commanding. It is so…different from her own. She remembers suddenly in this moment the reckless way Naruto would grab her hand, how he drag her along and do as he pleased. The way he would look at her with such blatant adoration and awe. She does not know why he suddenly fills her mind, the sound of his laugher echoing in her head. Her heart wrings painfully in her chest.

Neji reaches into his pocket and slowly- pulls out a black card she immediately recognizes. Her entire body stiffens, grows rigid with anxious fear. She feels her blood chill- but she should have expected this. The same blood ran in their veins, the same birthright. But against herself- _'He….he received one too?'_ She remembers the mocking way Naruto would call him 'senpai. _'B-But w-why…? What…what is he after? What does he want?'_ She remembers the flash of red behind the blue of his eyes, like a burning sunset overtaking blue sky. _'Naruto...what...what were you thinking? What is your goal?'_ She thinks with a brief note of panic, her hands wringing tighter, her knuckles pale as snow.

 ** _["You should finish what you started."]_** She feels sick- anxious, nauseous once more with the weight of this moment. _What...was she doing in this moment? What had she done that had brought her to this?_ She feels as if the entirety of her world shifts, blurs our of focus as she stares at the black invitation in Neji's hand. In that moment she would have given anything- _anything_ \- to make it disappear. _'This is wrong.'_ The thought nearly rattles her with its force. _'I- we- shouldn't go. That's what he wants. But why- why does he want that-?_ _' S_ he is crippled with this feeling of indecision, of trepidation- but it means nothing to them. Neji does not know of how her blood chills, the very essence of her being trembling where she stands. She can almost feel the ghost of his presence- a laughing, wild wind- drifting through her shadow.

"This is an invitation. There is to be a ball held every eve this week by a young noble attempting to acclimate himself to society, the one who purchased the old Izanami estate." Neji is speaking- she sees his lips move- but as if struck, struggles to process the implication of his words. "I believe it would be in the best interest of the clan if I were to attend as a sign of good will and possible favor. He has invited all of the other heirs and heiresses of the other more reputable lineages as well. It would be rather unusual if a representative from the Hyuuga clan did not attend. With your permission, I will be attending on our behalf." _The sound of his laughter._ Sick- she's _sick_ as she finally begins to understand. "Hmph." The frigid reply from her Father.

"The old Izanami estate…? What is the name of this noble?" She knows, remembering how something within her had seemed to rattle, to shake in that moment when she had quietly voiced it to herself. She mouths the name now with a familiar dread. _Kurama._ She had not realized it then- but now it finally strikes her. The character with which it was written _Kyu._ _Nine._ Her own naivety stuns her in this moment.

"The invitations were addressed from a Lord Kurama. Aside from details concerning entry, that was the only other information provided. Despite my best efforts, no one seems to know anything else about this lord- neither where he hails, from whence he came or how long the estate has been in his possession."

 _Of course._ He had always done as he pleased, as he wanted. He had waltzed into her life and planted himself there so thoroughly, rooted himself so deeply it seemed as if he had belonged there. And no one could ever quite seem to recall when Naruto had made himself known to them. For them it seemed, as it did for her, as if he had always been and would always be.

 _[_ ** _"Oh Hina-chan...I have had many names."_** _He had admitted truthfully to her in that moment. She remembered how the weight of the words had hung there, darkly, between them. She had cowered before him, frightened of all that had still gone unsaid. But somehow knowing-_ ** _"But yours…"_** _-how sharp his blue eyes had flashed in the dark of morning! As the beast in his shadow_ ** _smiled. "-None has ever been as precious to me as yours..."_** _]_

She is not watching her father's face- so she misses the odd, unusual look that appears in his eyes. She is instead fighting it- this strange, restless, all consuming anxiety that renders her immobile. It is only a brief moment- but Neji alone recognizes it curiously for what it is.

"You are…familiar with this Lord?" He inquires after a moment of reflection, cautiously analyzing her father's face with focused intensity. She feels her stomach churn with apprehension, with restless fear as her eyes immediately jump to his form. But her Father says nothing- has turned his head once more to survey the landscape before him. By the time her gaze has found his, he has already killed what little there was to be found there. Eerily, she remembers Naruto's words from that night long ago, when everything had changed. The moment that had solidified her future, this end that she could still feel coming, had denied and been running from for so long- _[-He's frightened of the shadow he left behind-]_

"No…it cannot be so." He stated icily, as if the very idea were preposterous, absurd. But she feels the words- are a moment too late. She watches him carefully now, with a troubled, measured gaze. "It merely sounded familiar for a moment." She can _feel_ it- something in the air between them- something restless and bitter. His back seems colder than before- but something within her wants to tremble anew as she lets her gaze rove over it. But she can _feel it_ in the chill of her blood, echoing in the dark of her mind, his words from a night long ago-

 _[That silly old man hates you, as he hated the one who came before you. Hated her, because he hates himself. Hates himself because- Ha! Well it's actually kind of a funny story Hina-chan!_ _One day- you will be strong enough to know, to finally understand-]_

But the truth of this feeling alludes her. She can neither voice it nor describe it, conscious of nothing but the way her hands quiver as she wrings them before her. Then- even now- she found she could draw nothing from the words save the murmur of a truth she refused to acknowledge. _'What...did you mean then...when you said those words?'_ Narutocould say things so clearly and without pretense- so forward in their truth that she could do nothing but bare them. And then he could say things so curiously, so veiled and constructed that it was hard to discern truth from deceit. _But what was this odd, restless energy that seems to hang heavily in the air? Is she imagining it? Or is it, again-_

"So you wish to attend on the clan's behalf?" She does not have the time to dwell on it. The moment carries on as she knew it would, continues forward despite everything- despite the bitter lump lodged in her throat. In this moment as always, her will no longer mattered. Her desires were irrelevant. As always- this moment would unfold exactly as he desired it.

"Yes. You can rest assured I will do so while maintaining the clan's impeccable standards." Neji stated with such confidence that one could not doubt it. But she is a pale, forlorn shadow behind him, her eyes cast pitifully to the ground. The words are still there, hovering feebly on her lips. And despite how much she ached to speak them, her will betrays her.

"That goes without question. You have my permission. In return Neji- there is something I would ask of you. But we will discuss that later this evening. It is a matter of the utmost importance."

"I understand." She lowers her head, feels her face flame. The source of this warmth- is the staggering tremor of emotion, of feeling brewing within her that yet renders her immobile. It is the same feeling of always- of someone cast aside, overlooked. This pathetic coward that she was, this foolish girl who had yet to find her voice before them. She does not realize it but Neji's pale gaze finds her again, surveys coolly the downcast eyes that mirror his own. He watches her for a brief moment- whether in compassion or pity is hard to determine. But nonetheless- _[-not yet, not yet. He smiles as he thinks of The Promise, echoed within the worn pages of the book he had given her. But soon-_ ** _soon_** _...]_

"Clan Leader." He begins again. She pauses, lifts her eyes to catch his own. He turns away abruptly- "There is one more matter if you will permit me." She _knows._ The man she calls Father eyes him carefully at this. "You may speak."

"I believe it would serve Hinata-Hime if she were to attend as well." He stated, and her eyes flew to his once more before flying to her Father's. The words stay on her lips. She can think of nothing but the sound of his laughter. Her Father says nothing for a moment- but his back feels colder than before as he returns his eyes to the land beyond his window. Unperturbed, Neji continues.

"We are betrothed." Hearing the word aloud pains her, makes her grasp her chest as if she has been stabbed there. She feels her heart, her blood, thrumming, pulsing beneath her palm. "I believe it is time for us to allow ourselves to be...officially recognized by society, regardless of a more formal declaration. I can think of no easier way to make our intentions clear aside from amore formal declaration. And we are blood. It is only fitting that we attend together."

She feels as if she is caught in some hazy nightmare- ' _Is this real? Is this really happening?'_ Even though she knows the answer to both. But she cannot draw her gaze from her father, who still refuses to see her in the same way he always has. _What does he think? What would he say?_ But the latter was pointless, merely a matter of course. She _knows._ But still she waits with breathless, anxious hesitation regardless as he says-

"Inform your retainers. They will see to it that you have the proper attire." That was all he said, all that she needed- thanks in part to Neji more so than her. But she can't help but feel sick as they bowed before him, fought back the wave of nausea that rose to her lips as she said- _"T-Thank you, L-Lord Father."_

She doesn't know if she is relieved- until the end she had almost hoped for a callous refusal. But he had submitted, had permitted this...a man who did not trust her to make public appearances, who did not believe she was capable of conducting herself in the proper manner in any outside setting. As long as Neji was there to mind her- perhaps he thought surely she would have no room to cause the clan any further embarrassment. But even so...things had gone exactly the way _he_ wanted. She had told him that her Father would never allow it- and his only answer had been- _'You will.'_ and _'Your Father is not the old fool you think he is...'_

She wants...to know. To speak on these things dark and forbidden, these secrets buried along with her mother, a past long forgotten. She wants to know why he hates her so. _[He hates you- because of the one who came before you, because of me. But that's how he's always been.]_ She hadn't had the courage to ask then or now. How Naruto... _knew_ so much.

She knows she has to go to him- to finally get an answer- to finally know the truth her Father would not tell her. _'How...does he know you Father? Because of the one who came before me...Mother? And how did she...know where to find him? How did she know that if you go to that place-'_

That you could meet that strange, formless creature born of shadow. And that if you only _wished_ it, if you only _desired_ it...would become everything you had ever wanted, had longed for. There is a truth she feels, that had been hidden long before they had covered her mother's corpse, gently, as if she were only sleeping. There is a truth she feels, hidden in the dark of her Father's shadow, words that would forever go unsaid. She wants to _know._ She wants to _ask._ But coward that she is- foolish girl that she is- she has long known that the truth would never come from her Father.

 _Oh_ _Beloved._ The look on his face. How his gaze would delicately, fondly, trace the outline of her form, with a heat that she cannot match. She had always refused to acknowledge it, to find any solace or comfort there. But then...his expression would be open, pained in a way she could not understand. There would be such a...look of sweet, bitter agony etched into the lines of it. The moment where he seemed to be all that he claimed to be, all that the sweetness of the words written in the book had promised her. How his rugged cheeks became flushed, warm, his blue eyes tormented.

' _Oh Hina-chan...'_ He would sigh-

 _Hearken to my voice, as you always have, as you always will._

.

.

.

.

.

She knows that of these things he would never speak. What she did not even once consider- was that he could not.

But her Father refused to acknowledge her. Right up until the moment when the oak doors closed behind her.

.

.

.

.

.

"Damn you." Murmured quietly into the dark of the chamber as solemn as an oath. **_"Damn you!"_** Violently slamming his fists down onto the desk, sweeping everything from its surface with one haggard motion filled with barely contained fury. Its contents clatter to the floor and he turns his back, pacing before the window with anxious, frantic motions. The man who seemed to be born with ice in his blood, a man of steel and winter- trembles.

It is the clock- _that damned clock_ in his ear- solemnly ticking away as it always has. Running backwards- running forward- adding time, taking it away in one agonizing exercise of torment. Counting down-up- _to the moment-_

 _"It's **you** …isn't it?"_ Words filled with hatred, the blackest of loathing as he thinks of that bitter smile filled with fang. _"So the time is nigh then? You have finally decided to make your move? For all of the agony you have brought to this family- you would **dare** show your hand with such **boldness?!** Such reckless abandon?! Are you that assured of success? Of this end? Are you that confident? Or am I-" _ A snarling sound of agony, or pain as he grinds his palms into his face, feels the sweat against his brow, the trembling- _'I must not falter- **I must not** -'_

But who would right them, these bloody sins? Who could be redeemed in the terrible onslaught to come? This clan of his had been built on blood, on the corpses of those who had fallen in the hopes that it would one day reach fruition. Centuries of strife, of angst, of _sacrifice_ and _suffering_ \- and here they stood in the end, at the very pinnacle of all clans. Revered, respected, their bloodline was one that yet stood the test of time where many others had fallen. They yet were applauded as the clan whose bloodline would see to the continuation of the capital, their legacy one that held true and would through ages to come. This clan had produced heroes, men and women of valor and strength who had gone on to become men and women of legend. The capital spoke of the Hyuuga clan in hushed whispers, with admiration and awe. But it had not- been without sacrifice.

They had gained. They had gained and prospered far beyond the wild, reckless dreams he had longed for in his youth, while still a young man filled with rage and ambition.

They had gained. But what was _lost-_

There is something bitter, black like revulsion in his chest, caught in his throat like a scream. It is the taste of hatred- pungent and strong. Nostalgia.

Is is the _vow_ , the _contract_ , the dark secret of their truth yet unearthed. And so it was to be- hidden, covered by all the Clan leaders that had come before him and all who would come after. Without beginning or end. But in his mind he imagines the whisper of cruelty echoing in his smile.

 _["Your clan got what they wanted." The sharp flash of fang. "Isn't it time I get what I've wanted-?"]_

Cold hearted man. In this moment he trembles.

As he remembers a time from long ago.

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _He is in his study, seated before his large mahogany desk. It is covered in documents that demand his attention, and his gaze is intense, focused as he surveyed them. He is alone with the dark echo of his thoughts. He thinks of nothing save the tasks before him. The air of the study is sobering, quiet save for the roar of the fireplace, casting dark leaping shadows against the walls._

 _The thing had finally been done, and formally placed in writing. She was to be wed._

 _Neji, the son of his deceased brother, was a boy of strength, steel of will and mind. Despite his bearing- his brother had once had a fleeting fancy for a young maiden from a branch family- he had yet proven himself a capable warrior. It was a far better result than she could have ever hoped for, as the boy was even within her age range to make such thing more bearable. Despite her youth, he had already been propositioned by many clans and families on her behalf. All lineages were eager to adapt Hyuuga blood into their own bloodlines, willing to pay any price for such favor and honor to be thus united. But he would not hear of it- their bloodline would remain as it always had. Pure. Strong._

 _The other clans did not know that she alone was their sole failing, their shame. She was weak of body and will, far removed from the other women of valor that had belonged to the head family. But she would yet serve some purpose. In this way perhaps, she could redeem some of her failings. And in the dark tremor of his thoughts, perhaps- her mother's as well._

 _She had seemed obedient enough- but she had quietly disappeared during the clan meeting, slipping away into the dark of the forest. Such behavior...would not be tolerated. She knew this- had it imprinted firmly into her mind many times before. And yet she had still seen fit to show the depths of her selfishness. Such ungratefulness-! After all that had been given to her- this life of luxury, servants at her beck and call, the best tutors- and still-!_

 _She had long known this was to be her fate, had been groomed with such purpose. She was far too timid. Weak willed and soft spoken. Frail of body. The very notion that she would inherit the title of Clan Leader was blasphemous, despite her blood. She would never be a strong warrior, would never be a great leader. But she could yet bare children, pure of blood. Surely she could never hope to be any more than this- a necessary vessel to assure their line continued. It was foolish to expect that a child born from her mother's weakness could ever be more._

 _It causes a darkness to fall over his brow. Neji would tend to her, would bring her to him. It seemed her training had not yet been harsh enough, if she still believed she had the allusion of choice. He had watched the boy disappear like a white spirit into the dark of the forest surrounding the estate to find her. She had fled to the wood, a reckless habit formed by the woman who had birthed her._

 _'The same old weakness,' he thought with a black scowl. Despite all things this clan- as if stuck in an endless cycle of beginnings and endings- always returned there to that forest. **To that place-**_

 _"Woah look at those wrinkles! You've been working too hard eh? What are you working on so seriously?" A voice asks curiously, and his pen pauses in its work. He cuts his eyes- and seated there on the corner of his desk is a youth, wild golden hair and bright blue eyes. His tone and expression are curious, his fingertips splayed against the wood as he leaned forward, swinging his legs idly. Imperceptibly- his own gaze narrows._

 _'A child…?' His eyes drift to the yet closed door of the chamber- shift back to the boy- but he has not been mistaken. Despite his age, his senses were yet impeccable, his degree of perception the tale of legend yet. It was impossible for him to have missed the entry of the child. Not even Neji- a progidy in his own right- was capable of such. Even the most trained of hunters were incapable of such a absurd degree of stealth. It was impossible to reason that a boy of this age was capable of the same. He carefully lowers his pen as pale eyes grow as frigid as a frozen pond. The boy's expression is one of almost comical regret as he waves off the look in his eyes._

 _"C'mon now don't look at me like that!" The boy adds with a bright note of laughter. It is a filled with mischief and glee. His voice is childlike, mirthful as he speaks. **But beneath that is-** "How rude! Did you really forget about me? C'mon now Hiashi-san! Aren't we friends?" _

_Darkly- something rises in him like the echo of a dream he had long ago. A dream he had buried in the dark of his being, had killed when he had put the bitter man of his past to rest._

 _[_ ** _"-Come now."_** _The dark spirit had asked him then, with a wild bark of laughter._ ** _"Are we not friends?"_** _]_

 _There is a pout marring the boy's childish features as he sighs regrettably and shrugs his narrow shoulders- "Well I guess its ok, it's been a long time after all hasn't it? And the last time we met- I guess I looked pretty different eh?" He added with a wide grin, swinging his legs wildly through the air. "Bigger for one! Way taller!" He emphasizes by stretching his hands upward, to illustrate. "And I had this red hair didn't I-?"_

 _[It is a startling clear memory. A clearing filled with wild flowers. His wife, pale and forlorn, crying in arms that were not his own. A man with hair the color of flame. A sardonic smile filled with fang, as eyes the color of hellfire met his. Feeling the entire world shift out of focus, as if he were standing, staring into a dark abyss-]_

 _It is in that moment- that he feels the telltale chill, the tremor. He leaps from his desk in one fluid motion, strikes a mighty blow on its surface that rends it in two. The solid mahogany crumples around his fist easily, sliced cleanly in two in response to his strike. Its contents clattered harshly to the floor, the documents fluttering wildly into the air like birds. The boy laughs, lightly dodging his blow, spinning triumphantly on the tips of his toes to plop down onto the carpeted floor._ _"Haha! Still too slow I see-!"_

 _[_ ** _'Too slow-'_** _The man with hair the color of flame had smiled, a thing of hatred and torment as he stood over the body of she who lay dying._ ** _'But it's always been that way eh? How like you-'_** _As he had placed a clawed hand over her sightless pale eyes, hiding them from the world. They would not open again._ ** _'Haven't you always been a moment too late-?'_** _]_

 _As it had done countless times before. Its form had changed. Its appearance had changed. Its demeanor had changed. Its reason had changed. But it is the same mocking, sardonic grin. The same expression of dark amusement and pleasure lurking in the depth of its gaze, now colored the blue of sky. It is impossible to describe it, the depth of this crippling hatred, this groundless rage that threatens to burst in his chest in this moment. It is overwhelming. It is agonizing. It is the same old weakness, the same callous reminder that he is not faultless. He is not innocent. He was no different than all who had come before, and all who would come after._

 _His gaze is tight, cold, ablaze with fury. But there is a cold chill running down the spine of that proud back. But he fights it, steels himself with a unbreakable resolve, the iron will for which he is known. It would serve no purpose here, such weakness, to be swayed so easily by such wild passion. He could not lose himself in the bitter heat of this moment. Survival rest on the back of he with the will of steel._

 _"So it is **you.** " He stated coldly, with accusation, with barely restrained loathing. But beneath that was- '_ ** _Do not waver. Do not weaken. The moment you lose your resolve- the moment you lose your will-'_** _T_ _he boy's eyes twinkle knowingly._ ** _'You will fall.'_**

 _"...It...is impossible! The moment she left this world-" It goes without saying. The damned beast should have returned to the void, to the black nothingness from whence it had come. That black shadow should have once more been bound, held captive by the laws of its cursed realm._ _And yet here it was yet again, in a new form, a new face, a bright new being given form and purpose in this world._

 _"Who...could have possibly...?" He asks again, the words scathing with condemnation, with anger. It is the same old weakness, the same bitter truth right before his eyes. The failing in their blood, their achilles heel. It was impossible- she alone had been the exception to the rule, the only unforeseen addition to the contract. 'Aside from her- their could be no others! None but-'_

 _The boy merely laughs, rolling upright and deftly crossing his legs beneath him, rocking on his haunches. He looked for all the world like the youth he appeared to be, wild and carefree._

 _"What!? You really thought you had seen the last of me?" He stated, an incredulous expression on his face."Oh no Hiashi-san! You and I have business yet don't we? We have history you- and I- and this clan! **Wonderful history.** " His smile is taunting, mocking- _**_sickening_** _\- on the youthful face on which it is placed. Because he can see it there, lurking beneath those laughing blue eyes, that wide grin. That same unfathomable darkness, that same black shadow-_

 _"But to answer your question...well..." His brow furrowed almost thoughtfully as he sheepishly raked his hand through his golden mane."It's a funny story you know? I was going to keep it a secret, my being here- you know, make it a surprise!"_

 _In times past- it had kept its form hidden, had blended into the fabric of its surrounding with improbable ease. Then the only time it would reveal its truth- was when it was far too late. Once- by the time the creature saw fit to reveal its form, what was precious...had already been lost._

 _'Is that it then?' He thought to himself, ice eyes grim. 'Is that why you have revealed yourself so soon? Because you have already won? Because something precious...has already been lost? But_ _...it cannot be so...'_

 _The creature had surely not been long in this world. And yet...it had revealed itself, and to a previous contractor no less? It went against the rules it had set, the game it so enjoyed. The beast preferred to live in secrecy, hiding it's true nature until the bitter end. It was to be expected after all- it was an Archdemon of the blackest pits, a creature of legend and lore. To slay such a beast was the lofty goal of every hunter, to fight such a creature and take it's tails for their own. Even a single tail in the hands of man could grant him improbable power. But beyond that...the creature had a talent that was far more dangerous._

 _It was a precarious game the creature played- wearing mortal skin, walking boldly through the capital without care. It stood to reason that it had always amused the creature, to live so among them. Perhaps it was merely a passing fancy that had brought it here, that had made it decide centuries ago to form a contract with the very first Clan Leader. But even so- never before had it revealed it's form so easily. And when it finally did..._

 _He remembered the hate in his heart when they had covered her, had drawn the white sheet over her. He had sworn then._ ** _Never again._** _And yet-_

 _There was something hot and bitter on his tongue, pungent and black like hate. '-Foul creature- what are you thinking?' But even that question had no merit. A mortal could never understand these beasts, these wicked, black hearted creatures._

 _Here it was in it's newest form, speaking openly, candidly. Partly from the arrogance that came with power. But there was more that was even more telling. The beast could not create it's own form. It lacked the imagination to do so. Instead, it relied on others- on its contractors- to give it form in this world. In many ways, its form was a direct result of the desires of the one who had called it into being._

 _It had many different forms throughout their traitorous history. It had been beautiful women, broad shouldered men, decrepit old men- all with dark eyes that glimmered like flame. But never this. Never a child. 'And at that...a child that is so...'- the word was foul on his tongue. 'Innocent.'_

 _'The contractor is surely young, naive.' He thought with ice in his veins. 'Inexperienced. Clearly one who has no idea what they have done, what evil they have once more called to this world. A child...of pure blood. Those are the only members of this clan that the beast will answer...and yet...few know of that place...where the boundary between their world and ours is weak, fragile. Aside from...her, poor fool...only the previous Clan Leaders were entrusted with that knowledge. I lowered her into the ground myself! If not her...then-?'_

 _But the beast's smile is knowing as it surveys him with sharp blue eyes. He had allowed himself to forget._

 _Before this creature, not even his thoughts were sacred._

 _"I met Hina-chan."_

 _The man froze. Something like a winter's chill touched his blood. His expression did not waver- it is one of steely eyed composure- but within- something stilled. It is a strange wordless feeling. It is impossible to understand or define. He knows not whether is is fear, rage, disappointment or resignation- all he knows is that the beast smiles seeing something change in his eyes. His expression is coy, mischievous._

 _"Oh wow Hiashi-San!" The boy murmured admiringly, whistling low beneath his breath as if impressed. Derailing his thoughts with natural ease. "Even though it's been awhile- you're still really good at this! Man you didn't even flinch! I guess I can't really be too surprised though, you couldn't call yourself Clan Leader if you made it too easy for me!" He added with a laugh._

 _He knew the folly of rising to such provocations. One had to be calm, to endure- he could not afford to fall here, would_ ** _not_** _fall here. One had to be calm- to strengthen one's resolve, one's will. Otherwise it was easy for them to get in. And once they had gotten in- your mind was child's play, a toy for their amusement. They could make you see what they wanted you to see. Make you believe what they wanted you to believe. Make you think what they wanted you to think. Those words...could mean nothing. Those words could be the blackest of lies. Or...they could be..._

 _He thought of the girl. Small. Pale of skin and eyes. Dark haired. Shy, timid, creature. He did not want to believe those words could be truth. No- it was improbable- surely the creature was merely goading him, toying with his mind. It was not possible._

 _'For that girl- no- it could not be so..._ _This is merely another trick. Another fabricated delusion.' He thought grimly, eyes steeled against the child. 'This damned creature- is surely testing my restraint.'_

 _But he was no longer the same hot headed youth he had been. He had devoted decades to strengthening his mental fortitude, his resolve. The seal on his mind was virtually impenetrable. But even so- perhaps it was indeed already to late. He had fallen prey to the creature's temptation once before. No matter how prepared he was now in this moment- perhaps it was of little use. He had already let the creature in once. How could he ever hope to barricade himself from it's deception when he had already given the creature a key?_

 _'Have I truly...gotten so weak?'_

 _Or had the being before him always been this powerful? Despite the extent of his sight, a talent unique to those trained in the Hyuuga bloodline…no longer could he see the child's form for what he truly was. Even his shadow was that of a child. He could not see…the beast…that foul presence, that monstrous shadow, black as pitch._ _But the 'boy' continued, as if impervious to his feeble efforts. But they both knew the creature was well aware._

 _"-She's cute as a button now isn't she? She will be a great beauty one day. Just like Hitone-Hime was. I think...she'll be even more beautiful! Aren't you proud Hiashi-chan? That she didn't inherit your wrinkled old mug?" He grinned. "But...it's a shame..." Quieter, softer- those blue eyes blazed. "That Hitomi-Hime won't ever get to see it-"_

 _[She who would no longer open her eyes. Pale eyed woman, a frail shadow in his memory. The same old weakness-]_

 _"How **dare** you speak her name." He stated tonelessly, struggling to maintain an iron grasp on the fury threatening to make itself known. This unending hatred threatening to rupture his composure, his calm. But he knows the folly of this- no- _**_'Do not rise, do not be goaded-'_** _he further strengthens his resolve, his will. The creature was one who fed on such things, amused itself with such things. He would be a passing amusement no longer- "Ehh Why not?" The boy's expression was open, curious, as if baffled._

 _"We were good friends you know?! She was better than you anyway! And we-"_

 _"So says the demon that took my wife's **life.** " He stated coldly in reply, words bitter, black with remembrance. But the boy merely arches an eyebrow over his bright blue eyes curiously in reply, pursing his lips at the words. He pauses, surveys him._

 _"Hmmm…still holding on to that eh?" He throws his head back- laughs. But it is an odd thing, more disheartening than joyous. "I didn't kill her Hiashi." He stated pointedly, as if his words were truth and not the blackest of lies. Pointing, aiming, right at his heart._ ** _"You did."_**

 _[-Covering pale eyes that would not open again. He watches. It is the same old weakness. The same old curse._

 _The creature would take. Take as it always had, as it always would. It and all of its kind._

 _They only knew how to take. But in exchange-]_

 ** _"How dare you-!"_** _The words come spiraling from between his lips before he could even think to contain them. Suddenly there they are, clouding the dark of this moment, fouling the air between them. As somewhere, in the depths lurking behind blue eyes, a red eyed creature_ ** _smiles._**

 _"-you really shouldn't scowl like that!" The boy laughs. "You're going to start showing your age! You're still such a stuck up old fart about it eh! But why? Tell me why! A deal is a deal. You both got what you wanted." Ticking them off on his fingertips as if to help him keep count. "You- became clan leader."_

 _[[A passing, fleeting memory._

 _When the news had broken that his twin brother had died. Slain in battle. It had quietly resolved the tension within the clan of whether or not he had truly been better suited to be the Clan Leader in Hiashi's stead. He would never forget the look on her face when he had told her. Until then he had been selfish- he had truly believed that her betrothal to Hizashi had been a matter of business, a marriage she was duty bound to accept.  
_

 _But her expression then- had been one of such torment, such misery that it had nearly torn his heart in two. For her it had never been a marriage for the sake of prestige, for favor, for duty. She had truly loved him- as a woman loved a man- as a wife loved a husband._

 _That was the moment...that had broken her. She had placed her hands on her abdomen, feeling the pulse of life there- and had let the tears run down her porcelain cheeks._

 _But even so, even so- he could not- bury the feeling when she had allowed herself to be taken in his arms._

 _He had embraced her. And for the first time, the last time, felt complete. In that one single moment- nothing else had mattered. What had been done- and what would come-]]_

 _"You wed the beautiful Hitomi-Hime, took your place as her husband in your poor brother's stead-"_

 _[[A passing, fleeting memory._

 _The last time he had remembered feeling clearly the warmth of his blood, his heart as she had come to him, clothed in white. By then she had lost the child in her grief, the last bond she had to the man she had loved. She had been sorrowful. Resigned. But even so in that moment still- despite all she had endured- so very beautiful._

 _Not even then had he regretted it. Not even then had the truth started to pain him, to torment him. Then he could not help but think that there was nothing to regret. All he had desired, he had. The title- the beautiful woman he had hungered for with covetous eyes- and soon-]]_

 _"She gave you the heir you so desperately wanted-"_

 _[[A passing, fleeting memory._

 _Feeling sick as he stared down into the face she held up for him to inspect. The child had been born while he had attended to manners abroad, and with restless anticipation he had returned to her. A daughter they had told him. He went to her. Her eyes had been knowing, sad even though she had smiled. Many years hence he would come to realize by then that it had already been too late._

 _Because in that moment he had not seen the face of his daughter, of the one who would carry their blood line into the future._

 _He had seen another face, echoing in the delicate lines of it. The face he saw when he stared into his daughter's face as she grew, as she blossomed, was one that had made his heart beat its bitter last in his chest._

 _It was not Hitomi's face that he saw reflected there, not his. The face he saw was-]]_

 _Something within him is ripping, is tearing. It is a decade of guilt, of hatred, of agony. It is too much, this swell of feeling. This overwhelming feeling of revulsion, of fear, of hatred, of anger, of more beyond his ability to bare._

 _But the boy feigns sadness, shaking his head with regret- mocking him in his pain- "Poor Hina-chan!" Those damned blue eyes coolly assessing him, with childish candor. "Did you ever love her?" Words hurled at the heart of his being with straight forward ferocity. Blue eyes are sharp, cold like blades._

 _"Hitomi-Hime risked her life to give you an heir you know?! She wanted Hina-chan so badly- even knowing that her body was weak- even knowing that it would kill her._ _And despite all of that-" The boy bares his fangs- is it a smile or a scowl?_

 _"You cast her aside so easily! What a shitty thing to do- wouldn't you agree? Or maybe not eh?" Blue eyes filled with mirth, with sardonic amusement. "But man! And you cast cute little Hina-chan aside too- for some nameless clan whore? " The words are somehow harsher, sharper coming from the mouth of a boy even though he knew the creature was far from innocent._

 _"After **everything** I did for Hitomi-Hime- you just decided to go off and sire another whelp eh? What a ungrateful bastard you are! You're really a shitty old man you know?" The boys words were mocking, exaggerated as if in jest as he threw his hands up in exasperation- but blue eyes are hard and cold._

 ** _'Do not waver. Do not fall. Fortify your resolve- speak clearly, without passion. The truth is your own, whatever you will it to be. Not his to twist and bend to his will. Your truth is your own-'_** _He fights it, wills to the dark depths of his being those passing, fleeting memories of what he had been. The words are torn from somewhere deep inside of him, rising to the surface._

 _"Hinata...was born with her mother's weakness."_ ** _Do not waver._** _"That girl only exists...because her mother was weak. Because her mother allowed herself...to believe a demon's lies. To fall prey to a demon's temptation. Such a sin cannot be forgiven. That girl...is no child of mine. Because her mother.."_

 _The ghost of her smile, haggard and pained. But always- beautiful._ ** _Do not fall. "Her mother-"_** _He could not look his eldest in the eyes, could see nothing in her face but the echoes of a dream, a shadow that still haunted him to this day. She had...the same gentle eyes. The same soft, quiet expression._ _Staring into her face was like staring into the face of the man whose death still haunted him, down to this very moment._ _The words were pulled from somewhere black, somewhere deep, some place dark and bitter and filled with a decade of hatred._ ** _"-was nothing but a demon's whore!_** ** _Hanabi was not born from the same weakness!"_** ** _"_**

 _The very air shifted. The fire in the hearth burned black, vanished with an angry hiss as it cast the room in darkness. The room grows warm. He can feel sweat on his brow. Blue eyes flickered, burned red so fiercely in that moment that he tasted tar, smelled the bitter tang of sulfur in the air. Even in the dark the boy's eyes gleamed, burning like flame. He can almost feel the approaching death, feels something weighted and formless that nearly throws his body to the floor. This feeling is ice cold terror, that makes his resolve waver, that makes his blood chill. But hatred gives him strength to fight it, hatred stills the fear that makes his hands tremble. It is a baseless, groundless, formless hatred._

 _The dark vanishes abruptly as the fire sparks once more in the hearth, burning brighter than before. The boy sits still, legs crossed and his small hands gripping his legs. Gold bangs cover his eyes and for a moment he seems deep in thought, as if pondering the words. He murmurs wordlessly under his breath, looking up after a moment to reveal his eyes. They are blue again, assessing him carefully. Whatever had overcome him in that moment had passed. He gulped harshly, swallowing the knot lodged in his throat. Even that was telling. The beast had shown few emotions in its time, for as long as he had known it. Mocking amusement, sardonic pleasure- but never...whatever that had been._

 _'What...was that...?' He thought coldly, feeling the true horror of that moment come full circle as the sweat continued to dampen his brow. The air was still warm, thrumming with energy and intent. But the beast's eyes- the **boy's** eyes- were unreadable as they watched him. But he knew it for certain, had **felt** it. _

_'Just now...you wanted to kill me...didn't you?' He swallowed another harsh breath, hears the sound of his blood, roaring in his ears. 'But you won't...no..." Foolishly smug as he felt his own lips become a equally mocking grin as he remembered the vow. "You cannot. For as long as that contract between us exists...'_

 _"Ah...I see...I see!" The boy remarks easily enough as if barely conscious of the moment that had just unfolded between them, clapping his hands together to emphasize the words. This new form of his was curious- restless and exuberant in a way it had never been before. The boy was bright and boisterous again- the thought is nauseating, sickening. He knows all to well that beneath those bright blue eyes is a creature of nightmare and suffereing. "So that's what you're calling it Hiashi-san? Weakness? Hmm..." His brow furrows again, as if he is deep in thought._

 _"...Well you were such a terrible shit to her! In the end..I guess it's no wonder she was lonely, that she wanted someone to save her." That childish grin, deepening, darkening-_ ** _"That someone was me."_**

 ** _'You damned hellspawn.'_** _He fights it, even when he knows the truth. Fights it even when he knows it is unjustified, irrational, unmerited._ _He has never known for certain what it was Hitomi had asked of the creature- and the truth forever lay to rest with her. All he knew was the reality of the girl of his 'daughter' staring him in the face. He f_ _ights this bitter tide, threatening to sweep him away. The callous reminder of all he had done and all he would yet do. He was far from innocent. He was far from righteous. He could no longer be redeemed. He could no longer be saved. But even so- despite knowing the whole, wicked truth- he lashes out at the beast._

 _"-So this is the form you've taken this time then? This wide eyed young whelp? All so you can defile my home- this clan's legacy- once more? So you can **take** even more-?! **What more can I give you?!"** As if the sleepless nights weren't enough? As if the endless torment wasn't enough? As if the constant reminder of what he had done, seeing it every time he looked that girl in the face- wasn't enough? As if being haunted by shadows wasn't enough?_

 ** _"What more do you want?!"_** _It is a_ _roar from the pit of his being, filled with all of his lament. His resolve wavers, lost in the tide of emotion that threatens to sweep him away. But the boy only scoffs, waving his hands dismissively even though those sharp blue eyes miss nothing._

 _"-From you? Nothing. You don't have anything I want." He tossed his hands behind his head, still rocking on his haunches. His expression was thoughtful._ _"Besides...We never did agree anyway. You thought the things I took from you weren't precious. You thought as long as you still had this clan, that was all that mattered. So Hiashi-san-" That damned grin, mocking in its truth. **"Were you right?"**_

 _But the creature doesn't give him time to answer, as the boy leaped smoothly to his feet, bouncing idly on their tips, as if with restless energy. "And you've got it all wrong again! You know that this is the form_ ** _she_** _gave me. The truth **she** gave me." Something solidifies for him in this moment, clicking in the corridor of his mind. The creature had said...that it had met Hinata...but quickly in passing, as if in jest. __But the reality of the truth he did not want to believe came full circle. There were three children currently who had the blood, the right to be Clan Leader. Three children who had the right to call upon the contract, to make their own with the beast. Hanabi. Neji. And her._

 _'No...this could not be- must not be- ' There is a cold tremor of revulsion, of disgust in his heart. He bites his tongue, tastes blood- again-_ ** _again_** _\- the weakness of their blood betrayed them, as it had countless times before. But this time- he thought of the dark haired girl, already broken. 'Foolish-_ ** _how foolish!'_** _She could not- could never be forgiven! It was there again, the same callous rage as before. Against_ ** _her_** _that damned child- but more so than anything else- against himself-_

 _The boy's expression shifts as he turns away, casting blue eyes towards the flame. It grows warm, doting. "Shall I…tell you the name she gave me too? It's Naruto. Isn't it great?!" He stated with exuberance as he turned to face him again, his grin bright with happiness and pride._

 _"She is a lot better at this than you or Hitomi-Hime! When Hitomi-Hime first called me she didn't know how to give me form or name for awhile- but cute little Hina-chan is awesome! She did it without even trying! I did kind of like being Kurama...but I **really** like being Naruto. I think that name suits me best now! Wouldn't you agree?" He added cheerfully, calling to mind once more the form he had carried in the time from before._

 _Kurama had been a solemn man with hair the color of flame. Eyes the color of blood. That form- had been far more fitting- perhaps as close to the truth of the creature as ever would exist. But no matter the form- there was still the same bitter, mocking smile. Taunting him, every fang in his grin reminding him of the reality of their truth._

 ** _"Get out! Get the hell out!"_** _He roared, launching forward with another mighty blow- but it was no use. There was no hope. Even though his strike was true, filled with killing intent, the boy blocked the blow easily, leaped away onto the mantle lightly with laughter. He sprawled his gangly form along the mantle, bright hair and eyes illuminated now by the dancing light of the flames from the hearth._

 _"C'mon now! Enough of that Hiashi." Blue eyes were sharp, dangerous, even though he 'tsked' him gently, as if reprimanding a child. "You know its too late for that. Hina-chan has already called me here. I may not have her answer- but she has already given me purpose, given me form. And you know I intend to stay until I finish what I started."_

 _He nearly chokes on the black threatening to burst in his veins, consumed, overwhelmed by this feeling of overwhelming hatred. Against the girl, the woman, the creature, the clan and above all- himself. "You would stoop so low as to make a bargain with a **child!?** When that little fool knows not what she has done!? Of what you are capable of?!"_

 _Blue eyes survey him curiously and at length before abruptly he laughs again, the sound of it bright and charming in the gloomy study. He nearly bites his tongue, clutching his side as he laughs. The very sound of it makes him taste blood again, hot and heavy in his mouth._

 _"Wow!" The boy called Naruto exclaims, motioning to wipe tears from his eyes. "You're so funny Hiashi! You have no idea! Now…you're worried?_ ** _Now_** _…you're concerned?" That childish voice suddenly dips darkly, lower- "How odd Hiashi! Don't you remember? Isn't that what happens? When you reach the depths of misery? This is- **really fucking funny** \- you continue to trample the delicate flowers growing in your garden...only to hate them when they bow before the wind?"_

 _That voice growing darker, sharper, blacker, fiercer._ _Blue is consumed by red, bleeding into the color of rust and blood._ _"Go ahead and bury that guilt of yours in self righteous fury if you want! The truth is_ ** _you_** _drove them to me. Hitomi-hime. Hinata-hime." A bitter black smile, filled with fang. Blue eyes are murky, bloody, ringed with red-"You drove them to me as your clan always has, and always will! I can go back even further if you want to play this game! To the very first-"_

 _'No more! No longer!' It is the same old weakness! The same old curse! The same bitter truth! From the first- to the last- this bitter cycle continued without end! This cycle of torment, of misery. It is boiling over in his blood-_ ** _"Silence demon! If I could but rob you of that villainous, deceitful tongue-!"_**

 _"Oh! I see!" A knowing smile. "I think I get it now Hiashi! Are you frightened?"_

 _The sickening black of his grin, growing wider, wider, wider- "Are you frightened of what she has asked of me? Surely you don't believe she aims for your position? That she would wish to dismantle the clan? That she hates you enough to want you **dead**? Although all is hers _**_should she wish it_** _…Is_ _that_ _what frightens you? Knowing that the poor little fool you loathe so much- the reason why Hitomi-hime gave up her life- the one you believed worthy of **nothing** \- _**_now has power over you, over everything?"_**

 _He laughs, wildly. And he has never known fear, never known terror as he has known it in this moment, when he hears that laughter. Never known it as he knows it now, feeling his entire body grow paralyzed, immobile at that horrific sound like the gnashing of teeth. It is not in jest, not childish any longer- it is from the pit. It's not the bright laughter of the boy, of Naruto. It is the **beast**. And his blood chills in his veins, the sweat running down his brow, dampening his entire body as the sound grows wilder, darker, blacker-_

 ** _"You should be frightened! You should be horrified! Don't forget Hiashi- for all that you and this clan have done- for centuries of blood, of deceit, of sacrifice! I warned you as I warned those who came before you! I warned you that there would be a price for your greed, for your selfishness! Grit your teeth mortal! Make your peace! The end- is coming!"_**

 _As if this is a waking nightmare from which he cannot escape, he remembers a time from long ago, a moment in time that had then seemed improbable, far off like a distant star-_

 _[["-_ ** _Then that is your desire?_** _" The haunting voice of the creature of shadow, of darkness as it took form. All he could remember- was the number of it's tails, counting them in the shadow thrown across the clearing. Nine. "_ ** _I'm disappointed Hiashi. I expected more from you. But just like the rest, in the end...you are just another boring human. But even so-_** _" A smile of sardonic amusement on its face._ ** _"You'll get what you want. I'll get rid of your elder brother for you. You will be the clan leader. You will wed Hitomi-Hime. With that...you would be satisfied right? But..._** ** _don't expect to be forgiven. You will suffer for this. You will get everything you want. But in exchange...-_** _]]_

 _The boy snaps his jaws shut, gnashes his fangs in idle amusement, as red once more returns to blue, bright and inquisitive._ _"Oh c'mon- don't look at me like that Hiashi-chan!" He adds sheepishly, at the expression of sickness, of agony and horror etched into the pale, haggard lines of his face. He wonders at the expression that he sees in the window, of this gaunt, haggard man with eyes wide and filled with fear. "I **did** try to warn you you know? But you Hyuugas' are really fucking stubborn..." He paused taking a moment to ponder aloud- "Is 'ten' too old to be using foul language these days?"_

 _The boy is himself again, smiling almost apologetically as he idly scratches his cherub like cheeks. "In the end...don't worry about it so much, you'll make yourself sick! What Hina-chan truly desires…" He drew a finger quietly, to his lips. "Is a secret between us. But this isn't a contract! This…is a promise. So it's free of charge! " He added, as if appalled that anyone would even hint at otherwise._

 _"Even_ ** _I_** _wouldn't trick such a cute little girl! Hinata and I are really great friends you know. So we've just made a promise as friends! I've promised her something truly special. Something I have never offered to anyone in this world- and certainly not to a Hyuuga of all people! You should be proud! It did take a few centuries- but out of this clan finally- came something of worth. Something that really reminded me-" Naruto paused- his expression thoughtful for a moment. But then it shifts again, his mood changing abruptly, like a wild wind. "Eh guess it really doesn't matter! You wouldn't understand anyway..."_

 _It is a moment before he composes himself to speak. But when he does- the words are quiet, pale in comparison to the steeled man he had been merely a few moments before. This moment- the time between them- seems eternal, unending. As if he has spent a lifetime, feeling the weight of his years collapsed on his shoulders like a heavy burden. How had it come to this? To this bright eyed boy calling himself Naruto? To the pale, shy creature that had called him into being? He feels as if he is standing on the edge of a abyss- and that he has no choice but to fall into the darkness, to his death. But even so-_

 _"You and I...both know Archdemons such as yourself...cannot make such deals in this world. It is **impossible.** You cannot give...you cannot create...you cannot change the flow of fate...without taking something in return. You will take in the end...as you always have. **As you always will.** Again I ask you...What is it you want?" The words sounded as if he were imploring, as if he were begging- proud man that he was-"Do you want the riches you bestowed on this family? Our power? Our prestige? Our talent? Will it take more blood? More sacrifice? What is it!?" __And then, with a sudden burst of anger-_ ** _"Speak damn you-!_** _"_

 _He's breaking. Has broken. He can **feel it.** Can feel himself breaking down to his traitorous core, down to that bitter black heart that the demon knew so well. The boy waves off his questions, withdrawing and crossing his arms sullenly, as if offended._

 _''Oh you give me too much credit Hiashi! Do I really seem like those demons of envy to you, that I would take back all of my gifts just like that?! I just want to enjoy myself in this realm for a little while is all! It has been a long time hasn't it? Honestly...I don't think I'm asking for much...you know that once a 'contract' has been made, I cannot harm so much as a hair on her head. Even though the word contract in this case...is a little inaccurate but...Hina-chan will be safe. Per my agreement with this clan...neither will I make any move against either your clan or the capital. In fact- for the moment- my hands are kind of tied anyway." He shrugged noncommittally, "Honestly- you probably won't see me for awhile...which works for the both of us right? I'll stay out of your hair...plus no need to be such a dick about it! Jeez I'm not sure why you hate me so much." He added, scratching his chin thoughtfully. The off handed nature of the words nearly sets his blood to boiling again- but Naruto continues as if he has already forgotten them as soon as they left his lips._

 _"But anyway!...you know the rules. As a previous contractor yourself…you_ _are **forbidden to interfere** with me and Hina-chan. The moment you do-" He pauses, surveys his face still sweating, pale and taunt with anger. He shrugs, his lips quirking again. "I guess it doesn't need to be said. B_ _ut anything else is fine! You're more than welcome to keep Hina-chan as close to you as you like. But remember- the moment you try and tell her anything about the truth-" He snaps his jaws abruptly, letting the sound sink in._

 _"This is part of **her** journey, not **yours**. If she wants the truth- let her find it on her own. And this also probably goes without saying- but breaking any of the rules nullifies my contract with this clan. Well- at least this way you have a little more time eh?" He added with another knowing smile, before it grows softer when he thought of her. "But man- it's almost a shame I have to go away for awhile!" _

_His expression shifts, become rather forlorn."I wanted to be here...as Naruto...and grow up with her a little more you know? We've already had so much fun together, and made some great memories- but...it's fine! I won't forget a single moment. And by the time I get back, I know she'll be really super ultra pretty!" His smile is wide, bursting with pride and confidence. It stood to reason- her mother had also been a great beauty. And in many ways- she had inherited the same innate charm, the same delicate, fragile manner that had first drew him to Hitomi._

 _He feels baffled, exhausted, as if drained of energy. As if despite all things- he had been dismantled and swept up into the creature's pace. So much was said- but all without answers without explanations. The beast despite its claims had never done anything without a price- nor for their benefit. But its promises were vast, tempting- promises to give you whatever your heart desired. But in exchange...he shuddered to think of what had already been lost, of what would still be lost._

 _'What is truth- and what is lie?' Was it the form- the boy called Naruto- who was speaking of the girl with such fondness? The boy spoke of her easily, naturally- as if she were indeed beloved friend. But the beast had never been close to anyone. It had always appeared like a wild wind bringing chaos- only to vanish once it had completed what it came for. The form had always been a means to an inevitable end. The end had never come without blood. It had seemed to take forms reluctantly, out of necessity, bitterly as if with revulsion. But it seemed to enjoy this form- the one called Naruto was speaking as if this form were **real** , as if it was more than a callous illusion._

 _He...could not understand, could never hope to rationalize the current course of events. 'Why...did it answer her, as it did Hitomi? Both are pure of blood- but the pact has always been only with those with the right to be Clan Leader. And yet- it still answered them both! Did it not break it's own rules by heeding them? But why...? For what purpose? For what reason? Is this all...part of his plan? Is this all...leading to the end?'_

 _"What...what is it that you want...?" He asked pointedly, but the boy only smiles as he turns to survey him, blinking his great blue eyes._

 _"Hmm? My reason? Didn't I tell you? I just want to be her friend. It's been...awhile since I've had one of those. Maybe us demons get lonely eh?"_

 _The anger flares, roars to life at the creatures sheer audacity, brings color to his pale sunken cheeks. Of all that had been lost. Of all that would yet be lost. Of all that this clan had sacrificed- but all they had gained. All at the mercy of this creature-! "S_ _top with your lies! What could you ever know of such things?! Of loneliness? Of happiness? Of sacrifice? You damned creature who only knows how to take- all this time and you yet know nothing- you deceitful, black hearted monster!- what do you know about anything?"_

 _The beast snaps its jaws and the fire flickers again, wavers. Blue eyes grow hard and cold again, sharp like flint. They are ill matched to the youthful face that surveys him, the bared fangs. "Ha! What would I know about you mortals huh? What does a 'monster' know? This 'monster' that you say only knows how to take, to ruin everything it touches?" Blue burns red. There is the scent again- of something burning, of ashes and sulfur._

 _ **"Tread lightly** **mortal.**_ _There are **limits** to my good humor. It is as exactly as I've told you." The mocking lilt to his words grows dangerous again, like tightly held restraint. _

_"_ _I just want to be her friend...to watch over her…" He missed it in his own trepidation, his bitter hatred- the forlorn look that slitted briefly across the boy's face again, revealed itself in his eyes as they returned to blue. For a moment he looked as he appeared. A lost child. For a moment- it was almost easy to believe that he was human._

 _"I just...wanted to meet her is all. And in all things…the choice will be hers. You forget that Hiashi-" He murmured almost quietly, "I have **always** given you choice. While I walk this world in the form I am given- the choice is never mine. It was the same with all who have come before. Including Hina-chan. And Hitomi-Hime. Including **you.**_ _"_

 _Every moment was merely another reminder of all that had happened in the past. And every moment a reminder of what he must do to see that it did not happen in the future. He had long known the end would come, was coming- how he had been unable to determine._ _But Choice? He nearly scoffs aloud._

 _"Was it Hitomi-hime's choice to die? Or did you make that one for her? There has never been choice- it has always been **you** \- doing as you please. **Taking** as you please. But this...ends with her. She will be the last. I promised myself on the day Hitomi died...to not allow this cycle to continue."_

 _The creature's expression shifts, returning once more so that wild grin. They squared off once again, man and beast, stared each other down with eyes filled with determination and steel. But the threat was empty and the creature knew it. But even so he humored him, allowed it._

 _"Ha! I don't know why I'm surprised! But that's good! That's great!_ _After all that I've said- you're still not listening huh? But that's fine- just keep holding tight to those half assed beliefs. At least we agree on one thing. Hinata will be **the Last.** And good thing too! In the end- she is the only one of this wretched clan worth saving." His grin is mocking again as he rolls his shoulders._

 _"But do what you like, even though it isn't much! It's kind of hard to get rid of me when you can't really tell anyone why eh? But at the least...the boy Neji is growing quickly isn't he? He has a strong, noble soul. I_ _hate_ _people like him." He added with good humor._

 _"Make him her guard dog if you want! You cannot be there always- but if you train the boy well who knows? And he's really strong! He will actually be a real pain in the ass in a few years if he keeps up his training. Now if only he wasn't such a arrogant asshole already..." He sighed regrettably, almost as if in disappointment at such wasted potential._

 _He feels as if he is fighting a losing battle, as if the very ground was opening beneath his feet. Had anything changed? Had any ground been gained? No- this was a precursor to more, the prologue. This was the beginning- of what he did not know- only that he could feel the end. "This...is a game to you. This is all for your amusement isn't it? You enjoy this kind of farce- all to continue to torment this family, as you have done for centuries! When will you finally.. **.leave us be!"**_

 _The boy sighs lightly, tossing his head in disbelief. "I can't summon myself you know? Inevitably in the end- all of you mortals are the same. Just like the ones before you. Your damn greed overtakes compassion, reason. I fucking_ ** _love_** _this family." The demon smiles a wicked, fanged grin. "Hina-chan most of all. But o_ _f course I don't expect you to get that you old fart. Demons are selfish right? But honestly I'm not that bad, there are others who are a lot worse! Such as- "_

 _He pursued his lips, his brows knit with confusion as he pondered. "Hmm...what is he called these days? Was it M something? Eh...Who can remember? There are quite a few of us you know? And we've all been around FOREVER. Now this one's a sneaky little bastard! It's a funny story- I've actually been looking for him for awhile! Have a 'score' to settle as you mortals say. Now this one isn't the kind of demon a mortal should trifle with. Last time I heard- a boy from that Uchiha family rather recently made a contract with him. Sucks for them! If Hina-chan had called me just a little earlier...-" He murmured, whistling low under his breath._

 _"A demon like that_ _\- is far worse than I. That one's greedy. He will make everyone pay because of that boy's desire. But eh- oh well." He shrugged noncommittally, as if such a dark warning was of no concern. His expression was one of good humor as he smiled, even though they both knew the horror of such words._

 _"You would be able to give them some great advice eh? You know it well. The price you pay for contracting with creatures you don't understand. But maybe I'm talking too much!"_

 _He rises suddenly, leaping from the mantle lightly, stretching life back into his limbs."It feels great to be this young again you know? And blond? I'm going to have so much fun this time definitely!"_

 _But even so- still- he struggled to accept the reality of this creature and its improbable power. This moment is slipping away, sifting between his fingers and he was helpless to fight it, to stop it. But even still- what was there that could be done? How could anyone be saved? Its bitter- tasting his own helplessness, incapacitated by the reality that no matter the claim- there was nothing to be done. The creature could not be killed- not in this form- it would merely cease to exist in this world. It would return to the darkness for the moment- but without fail- again and again it would rise- "I-I cannot allow this-" But the words were feeble, without bite. The boy's mood shifts, burns, blue eyes blazing as he snaps his fangs._

 _"As if I need your permission? **Mind your tongue mortal."** The childish lilt dips again. Deepening, darkening, growing bleak and somber. The words are fierce, black and from the pit again, from the very mouth of the beast. Blue burns red again, the color of freshly spilled blood. The air grows warm and stagnant, like a tomb buried beneath a burning pit. _

_**"I yet allow you breath and life because it pleases me.**_ _ **And as I recall- you weren't fucking complaining when I got rid of that brother of yours."** The striking snap of his fangs, sharply rupturing the gloom of the chamber. His gaze was sharp, fierce, overwhelming in its force. There seems to be a burning wind whistling through the room, tossing the wayward parchment fluttering into the air like birds. The very fabric of the air seems to vertebrate, to pulse with every one of his hastily drawn breaths._

 _ **"Still haven't told your precious protege Neji about what really became of his father?"** The harsh accusation of the beast was biting, scathing in its truth. The words die on his lips, rendering him immobile, paralyzed by a gaze the color of hell fire. His body seems to tremble, to shake, feeling scorched as if he is standing bare before a open flame. As if he is being burned alive- a staggering heat encases his body. Even the flames on the hearth dance wildly, casting maniacal shadows against the floor. There it is beneath his feet, in all of it's darkness, in all of its horror-  
_

 _ **"Where was all this self righteous shit when I made you leader of this clan? And trying to marry your daughter off to Neji despite knowing the truth? A fucking bastard to the end!"** -the dark, black shadow of the beast beneath his feet, and the scowling maw of the creature as it bares its fangs. As if he is being squeezed, crushed tight by a fist of hatred and loathing. He can't breathe- draws in shaking labored breaths as his head swims- but then the room stills. The heat lifts, rises and dissipates in the span of a breath as the boy returns with a laugh, tossing his hands behind his head. "But that's neither here nor there! You're not the worst by far haha!"_

 _He cannot speak on it- dares not. He stands, feels his head ringing sharply, painfully. He is overtaken once more by a terror so encompassing it exhausts him, drains him of what little fight he has left. The truth! The beast had growled as it bared its fangs- even the staff had whispered of it, had murmured it in secret. At times it seemed the truth was known by all- at others as if it tormented him and him alone. He would see Hitomi, see Hizashi, every night he closed his eyes. He could see the accusations in their eyes, on their lips. 'Because of you- because of this clan-' But he is derailed again by the bright of his smile, almost comforting, familiar in its warmth.  
_

 _"Anyway that's enough about me eh? Neji and I kind of got into it just now-" He added almost sheepishly, running a hand through his tousled mane with comical exasperation. He takes a few thoughtful steps towards the window pane, skimming the dark outline of the trees curiously._

 _"In fact- he's coming down the hall now. So before I forget-" He begins, his expression thoughtful again as he stands before the hearth, watching the dancing shadows of the flames thrown across the chamber floor. He bends at the waist, lowering his hand to touch the warm stone before the fireplace, gently caressing the shadows of the flickering flames. In this moment it seems as if his eyes betray him-but the boy's hand seems to sink, to vanish, swallowed up by the wavering shadows. His hand sinks lower into the floor, reaching- his blue gaze is intent, focused as he murmurs._

 _"Shit- where did I leave it? Maybe it's- aw dammit- or maybe-" He wonders if he has already lost what little sanity, reason remains at the improbability of the moment enfolding before him. But finally the boy raises his eyebrows, grins- "Got it! Ok so here-"_

 _He withdraws his hand, pulls it from the shadowy pit with ease. In his grasp is an oddly shaped item, ticking away idly. It is a clock that he holds out for his inspection. It is black as pitch, carved with odd angles and slopes, the gnarled hands on its white face ticking loudly. It only takes a moment for him to reach the conclusion that it is wildly inaccurate, and running backwards as if broken._

 _"It's a present for you Hiashi-san!" He adds cheerfully, standing to place it carefully on the mantle. He steps back, inspecting it almost admiringly for a moment, before he turns to face him. The expression on the boy's face is curious. Open and thoughtful- but unreadable._

 _"This clock is going to run for awhile- maybe even years if you're lucky! But at some point- it is going to stop. And when it does- all of my previous contracts with this clan will be nullified." He feels his skin pale, his heart stop. It is as if all of the blood in his body leaves him. He staggers to a chair facing the fireplace, collapses into it weakly. He cannot think, cannot even find the strength to form words. His mind is blank, empty- all he sees is her- her smile knowing and sad-_

 _"Yeah let that sink again eh?" The boy murmurs quietly, blue eyes surveying him again. His expression is blank, as if he too is thinking of nothing. But his eyes burn- "_ _At that time...it will be time for this clan to reap what its sown."_

 _His throat is dry. His hands are ashen, white in his laps. He feels as if he is standing on the edge of a dark, bottomless abyss, the cold chill of death and winter reaching for him. "What..." He wonders if she is waiting in the depths for him, has been waiting from the moment he had laid her to rest "What...does it mean?"_

 _"...All I'll say is this." He states quietly, blue eyes still watching him carefully. "It is will go forward during The Planting. It will go backward during The Ripening. It will be true during The Crucible. And then- it will stop." That boisterous voice is now a thoughtful murmur. It is empty of either joy or cheer, of mirth or mockery. For the first time it rings with truth, with sincerity._

 _"_ _And when it does...it means that I have finally received her answer. In that moment my will will no longer be my own." Quieter, softer- "Even now it isn't. Hina-chan just doesn't know it yet. This form already belongs to her more than any I've had before. Everything I am- "_

 _It is impossible to understand, to comprehend. By the very laws of nature, by the laws of its being- it could belong to no one. This creature was incapable of emotion. All it revealed- its amusement, its joy, even the taunting edge to its words- were nothing but illusion. It twisted the nature of words, of truth, for its own benefit. To what end? That was known by none. The beast's nature as well- its truth- had long been lost with the passage of time. Why...? For all that it seemed to loathe them- to hate them- had it continued to heed them? All he knew of the creature was of its hunger, its hatred, it's deceit- and its desire to ruin, to destroy. The form of the boy before him was not real. It too was merely fabricated, a perverted delusion of the girl's truth made real._

 _The creature's desires were far beyond comprehension, beyond understanding. But even so- "What…are you saying?" He asked breathlessly, weakly and then, fearfully- "What do you want?" The sorrowful look always present in her eyes. "What...have you promised her?"_

 _But the boy only smiled quietly as he said:_

 _ **"Everything."**_

 _The chamber doors were thrown open as Neji entered, gasping for breath. His eyes glanced to the boy- back- but the blond haired one was gone, had vanished into thin air. Nothing remained to suggest he had ever been- if he had even been there at all. His eyes strove the room- but it is as it had been- his desk is pristine, the documents he had been tending to still in the perfectly ordered stacks where he had placed them. Nothing had changed. It had all been nothing more than a wayward dream, a passing illusion. All of it had happened nowhere but in the confines of his mind. There was nothing but the clock, ticking idly on the mantle-_

 _"Clan Leader-" The boy began curtly, his dark brows narrowed sharply over his pale eyes. He was visibly agitated, his normally frigid demeanor now one of indignation.  
_

 _"I followed Hinata-Hime. She has been spending her time idly, keeping the company of filth! I made sure the matter was taken care of but-" For the first time he seems to take in the man's form fully, acutely observing the haggard expression on his face as he faced the mantle. For a moment he pauses uncertainly, unsure of what to make of the haunted look in his eyes. "My apologies...did I perhaps...interrupt your meditation?"_

 _He was silent, staring wordlessly into the distance, into the white face, the dark hands ticking idly. The sound fills his mind, fills the entirety of the void within him until that is all he sees._

 _"No...it...is fine." He murmurs quietly, as if still wandering somewhere on the threshold of a dream. "You...have done well Neji. Very well. You...have a bright future in this clan." "Continue to look after her. She…is weak, despite her blood."_

 _For a moment his expression is curious, searching. He stares around the immaculate chamber, his sharp eyes assessing every corner of the room illuminated by the flame. He wonders if the boy can feel the ghost of its presence, the fading murmurs that remained. The boy had the blood, had the talent. And the beast himself had said it. The boy had a strong, noble soul. If it had been him- then perhaps- "Yes Clan Leader." The boy stated, affirming his compliance._

 _"You must be diligent every moment." The form was that of a innocent child, wild of hair and blue of eyes. The boy had looked human. His shadow...had given nothing away. Nothing. "One must never allow for weakness." But he had felt the tremors of horror, of fear, deep down in his being. He had seen blue burn red. He had tasted sulfur- "We must remain diligent." The sound of his laughter, bright and mirthful. And then darkly, from the pits. The creature had taken many forms in the times before. But never- never one like this. Never one so raw in its creation, unfiltered and bold. His words had been forward, brash and confident. And then- quiet, thoughtful. Every word, every expression- had almost seemed real, had almost seemed true._

 _"This is our duty, our birthright. As one of the strongest lineages in Konoha- w_ _e cannot, We will not falter."_

 _'The truth is whatever she wills it to be-' He thought darkly as he watched the clock's hands. Her desire had transcended the limitations normally imposed upon the creature. Her wish had freed him, unchained him in a way he had never been before, in a way none before her had been capable of doing._

 _The creature had given many promises. It had granted much. But what had been lost- had been far more precious. It was the way of their world. They could create. They could alter fate. They could ruin men. They could weave lies and truth into reality. They could cast allusions. But in this world their power- what they could do- depended entirely on what they were given._

 _They could do nothing without a price. Not without sacrifice._

 _To the one it had promised 'Everything'- what would she lose in exchange?_

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 _It was two years after this abrupt meeting, when the boy calling himself 'Naruto' had vanished, and Hinata was twelve summers old...that the eldest Uchiha went mad._

 _In one night he slaughtered his entire family, from the first to the last. He killed them all, ripped them limb from limb with his bare hands. Their corpses were mangled, as if dashed and broken with great force. Disfigured and brutalized, as if with violent emotion. What became of the eldest after this horror, none could say. If he disappeared, if he perished, if he wandered yet raving like a madman- no one knew._

 _He killed them all save for the youngest, the brother who escaped the slaughter by by hiding beneath the mangled corpses of his parents. Hiashi was a member of the council then, the board composed of the 12 ruling families of the capital. He was among those who heard the report when the blood was still fresh on the walls of the Uchiha estate, the corpses barely a few hours cold._

 _And he never forgot the chill as he remembered the boy's words._

 _There was something about the incidence that felt like prophecy, as if he were staring into his own bleak future._

 _And the face of the creature waiting for him in the darkness, as it smiled- was as innocent and boisterous as a child's._

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She dressed slowly, pulling on the modest gown, long of sleeve and length. It would be ill matched against the flashes of skin,o f thigh and breast she knew the other heiresses would be wearing. This was a great opportunity to dress lavishly, to showcase their power and prestige before one another. She knew they would not let such a great opportunity go to waste. But she also knew that what she wore wouldn't matter in the end, as she remembered the hot flash in his eyes. She shuddered. Even the exposed length of her neck and collarbone seemed too much. As she slipped the silken veil over her face and viewed herself in the mirror, she paused and asked herself who it was she would find waiting for her there.

 _Would it be Naruto, her childhood friend? The bright boy of laughter, of smiles? The boy who lived boldly, wildly, and with a reckless, awe inspiring passion The boy who had tightly gripped her hand? The boy who had kissed her feet and promised her the world? The boy who loved her?_

She let her fingertips drift over the pages of the book, opened still to the place where she had last left it.

Or would it be... _that black shadow waiting for her? That beast of burden? The creature she knew was always lurking, always watching- skirting just behind his blue eyes? She had seen him in flashes of burning red, had seen the echoes of its power, its horror in the dark beneath her feet. Something old, something ancient. Something dark and overwhelming, something that was writing to her, weaving dark tales of obsession and passion, of frightening promises still unrealized. Of what the world would be if she would only take it's hand. The beast that wanted her-_

She was afraid. Which was real- and which was not? Which could she trust- if she could trust anyone at all? She did not doubt...truly believed in the depths of her being that Naruto loved her. In that same brash, straight forward, adoring way he had when they were children. But even so...was that his will? Or her own imposed upon him?... _She was afraid._ **_She was afraid._ ** But again there is the staggering warmth of his smile, his hands as he had held hers then, as if they were the most precious things in the whole world. And the reminder that no matter what the night would bring...the choice would always be hers. But even so- she shuddered to think of it.

The man she knew, could accept and love without question despite all things. The man was, after all, her weakness. The man was her truth- everything she had wanted, everything she had longed to be.

But she couldn't help but shudder to think- _what would happen-_ if she were to refuse the beast.

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 _What will I do?_

 _You wonder deep in the depths of your being, asked fearfully in the dark of your chamber, dark words you share with no one._

 _What am I capable of?_

 _Strange dark hearted being? Red eyed one born of black? The creature of a thousand faces and a thousand smiles?_

 _Like a reflection in a shallow pond- the vision changes. But for you and you alone- have I shown the truth. To you who gave 'birth' to me. To you, who gave me life and strength. To you who gave me purpose, gave me a reason to exist._

 _You were the one who made me this boy of smiles, this man of joy and laughter and reckless abandon. This one that you have created- this one that lives so wildly, recklessly. Maybe you doubt my words, doubt my truth. But...I want you to believe me. Above all that I have been...above all that I have been called...truly this one...this name, this life you gave me...has been the most precious one of all._

 _Do not mistake me. I have lived a thousand lives. I have 'died' a thousand deaths. I have worn a thousand faces, each more bitter than the last. Each more hopeless than the last. Each more fleeting than the last. I have found...that many of these mortals are beyond saving, beyond redemption. Truly they are without hope, your kind, your people. Truly I have hated them. Every single one. From the first to the last. From the one who first called me from darkness, to the last who returned me._

 _Well...All but her. All but You._

 _This is a tragic, wicked tale they have weaved Beloved, one which you may never hear told in full. It would horrify you, pain you, wound you to the core of your being- if you knew truly of all the things they have asked of me. I have taken lives. I have ended lineages. I have altered fate. I have ruined men. I have buried cities. I have scourged lands. All because they wished for it, because they asked it of me. And because I dear one- for the moment- am bound to heed them. As to why I do...well...you will have to ask me yourself. But maybe knowing- would change nothing._

 _Truthfully- I am a creature beyond understanding. My existence has always ushered in chaos, called forth destruction. All of my forms have been so- because of the black hearts of the men who have summoned me. As I always was and have been I am a being of madness, of torment. Fearsome nine tailed demon from the pit- I hate, I hunger, I rage. Isn't that what you wanted to hear, to believe? That I am some dark, maniacal creature? You're not wrong. Your fears are well founded. That is all I am, all that I have been.  
_

 _You were the only one who ever made me more._

 _And yet...you say this love cannot exist, cannot be real. That the one you love is merely a illusion, a fantasy. That this form you have created- is only so because of your own desires, your own hunger pressed upon it. Again Beloved- you are not wrong- but you are not right.  
_

 _If you only knew! Of the heat that consumes me, that burns in the black of my being at the thought of you, of your scent on the wind. How much I have longed, how much I have waited, how much I have desired for this final moment, to shed this skin you've clothed me in and have you hearken unto me. If you only knew! That beneath this wild laughter, beneath this boyish grin, beneath blue is something dark and wicked that hungers for the taste of your skin. If you only knew! Of the nights I watched you slumber, of how I watched with jealous, ravenous eyes at how the silk of your sheets slid across your skin. How I longed for nothing more than to take you, touch you, to have you in my arms, my hands, my mouth, my lips- the man- the beast- loves you more than you could ever possibly dream of. Doubt all else if you like- but not this._

 _The man loves you, has loved you ever since a night long ago. Maybe you remember, maybe you do not- but the night you cried to that small boy- he took your hands and kissed them. He promised you the world. Before that night you were adored, loved, precious- but in that moment you became **Beloved** \- you became the most precious thing in his world. Our world._

 _All the man wants is to see you smile. All the man wants is to make you happy. All this one called Naruto wants- is to give_ _you everything._

 _You do not doubt the man. You believe in him- even though it is foolish, even though it is painful, even though it goes against everything you know- because it is the man you love. But that is where you draw the line dearest, the line you are so fearful to cross. You cannot have the flame without the shadow. You cannot have the man without the beast._

 _You do not fear the man. You love him. From the bottom of your traitorous heart you love him...don't you? Your precious Naruto-kun. The one you created. You love him even though he did not come alone._

 _E_ _ven though he came with me._

 _It is the beast you fear. It is the beast that makes your blood chill. The beast that makes your skin pale. It is the beast that you run from, have been running from since the moment you understood what you had done when you found that place and named that boy 'Naruto.'_

 _And the beast? Wants you. I- want you. And I will have your answer._

 _But until then do not fret, do not worry. Rest assured dear one, as I have told you countless times before. You can no longer be saved. You can no longer be redeemed. For you- for us- it is far too late. You have nothing to fear as long as I am here- because my strength is yours and yours alone.  
_

 _Like two falling stars- here we are, hurtling in unison to the bitter end. The time of Planting is over. The time is coming to reap what they- what you- have sown._

 _The Ripening._ _The Crucible._

 _What will that end be? Whether it be one of pain or pleasure- of madness or ecstasy- of agony or rapture- is yours to decide. Despite what you may think, despite what you may believe- this story was never mine to write, to complete._

 _It has always been yours._

 _All you have to do in the end, is the one thing you have always done without question, since those joyous nights long ago._

 _Take my hand. Take his. And let us put an end to this, an end to everything that was._

 _And together- forge all it shall be._

* * *

 _AN: Long chapter since its been awhile. Like super long chapter. I apologize in advance for the typos I tried to find them all but I'm a shitty editor sorry guys T_T_

 _The shifting dynamic between Naruto x Kurama was always one of the things I found most interesting about the series- how Kurama began as this horrifyingly fearful creature, and slowly became more over the progression of the series. How they were two seperate entities, yet at times so intertwined they could not be clearly separated. A part of the fun I have with this story is exploring this dynamic. In this world the creature 'Kurama' becomes 'human' (used loosely) based on the desires of those who summon it. Hinata's desire= the kyuubi becoming Naruto ._

 _Yet 'Naruto' seems to exist independently from 'Kurama' in a way his other forms have not, and at times seems to be a completely separate being entirely. But to people like Hiashi, there is no distinction between them, whereas for Hinata that distinction seems brutally clear cut. She thinks of them as separate entities, viewing them as 'man' and 'beast' because she still has not yet found the strength to admit that they may very well be one in the same._ _And even in the end for Kurama, he refers to Naruto too like he's mystified by him, as if even though they are so connected, they couldn't be further apart. They both love her dearly, but apart of her struggle is that she cannot bring herself to accept them both entirely._

 _Dunno if I did a good job at showcasing this last chapter, but there's also some contention between Naruto & the Kyuubi too. _

_Someone also pmed me and asked me why this story is called the Crucible, and I thought I would share that answer here as well because someone might find it interesting._

 _ **Crucible:** a difficult test or challenge; a place or situation that forces people to change or make difficult decisions. _

_Echoes of what this may mean for Hinata has been hinted at now by both Naruto & Kurama. I hope you have fun trying to figure it out too._


End file.
